THE CONTEXT: Bengaluru is facing its worst drought in decades, affecting the city’s water supply. The state has declared drought in several taluks, with efforts to manage the crisis including controlling the water “mafia,” using private borewells, and deploying tankers. However, there have been accusations of politicization and water distribution challenges.
ISSUES:
- Severe Water Shortage: Bengaluru is currently facing a severe water shortage due to Karnataka’s worst drought in four decades. The city requires 2,600-2,800 million liters of water daily for its 14 million residents but is only managing half of this amount. Nearly 7,000 out of over 13,000 borewells in the city have dried up, exacerbating the crisis.
- Impact on Various Sectors: The water crisis has affected schools, hospitals, industries, and even the city’s IT hub. To prevent the misuse of potable water, Bengaluru authorities have imposed strict curbs and fixed rates for tankers supplying water to residential areas.
- Government Measures: The state government is taking steps to address the crisis by utilizing milk tankers from the Karnataka Milk Federation to supply water and taking over private borewells in and around the city. However, experts are concerned that the situation may worsen in the coming weeks.
- Historical Water Management: Historically, Bengaluru met a significant portion of its water needs from human-made lakes. However, rapid urbanization led to the loss of these water repositories as green areas were cut down and lake catchments became dumping sites for waste.
- Environmental Concerns: A study revealed that 85% of Bengaluru’s remaining water bodies were severely polluted in 2017. The city’s water supply infrastructure has not kept pace with urbanization, highlighting broader issues with water management in major Indian cities.
- National Implications: The challenges faced by Bengaluru serve as a warning for other major cities in India. Studies like the Niti Aayog’s Composite Water Management Index predict that without mitigation measures, many cities could run out of groundwater by 2030, leading to significant economic losses by 2050.
THE WAY FORWARD:
- Policy and Governance: India needs to develop and implement comprehensive water policies like Australia’s National Water Initiative, which provides a blueprint for water management across the country, focusing on sustainable water use, water access entitlements, and market-based water allocation.
- Improve Water Governance: Singapore’s active governance in water management, including the Public Utilities Board’s (PUB) efforts in water conservation, recycling, and desalination, serves as a model for effective water governance. India could benefit from adopting similar governance structures to manage its water resources more efficiently.
- Adopt Sustainable Water Management Technologies: Israel’s use of drip irrigation technology demonstrates how technology can significantly reduce water usage in agriculture while increasing crop yields. India could adopt similar technologies to address its irrigation inefficiencies.
- Increase Public Awareness: The Clean India Mission (Swachh Bharat Abhiyan) has successfully raised awareness about sanitation and cleanliness across India. A similar nationwide campaign focused on water conservation could help in changing public attitudes and behaviors towards water usage.
- Community-Level Water Conservation: The traditional rainwater harvesting techniques practiced in Rajasthan, India, such as the construction of ‘johads’ or small earthen check dams, have proven effective in conserving water at the community level. These practices can be revitalized and promoted across other parts of India.
- Promote Water-Efficient Agriculture: The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) method, which has been adopted in various Indian states, uses less water and has shown to increase rice yields. Expanding the use of SRI and similar water-efficient agricultural practices can help mitigate water scarcity.
- Enhance Pollution Control and Sewage Treatment: The Ganga Action Plan, although facing challenges, represents India’s effort to clean upriver pollution. Learning from international examples like the Thames River cleanup in the UK, India can adopt more effective strategies for river rejuvenation and sewage treatment.
THE CONCLUSION:
The severe drought and water crisis in Bengaluru demand immediate and innovative solutions to ensure water availability for its residents. The government’s measures, including the use of tankers and the regulation of water distribution, aim to mitigate the immediate effects. However, the situation calls for long-term strategies, such as improving water infrastructure, enhancing groundwater recharge, and promoting water conservation among citizens to prevent future crises.
UPSC PAST YEAR QUESTION:
Q.1) What are the salient features of the Jal Shakti Abhiyan launches by the Government of India for water conservation and water security? (2020)
Q.2) The ideal solution of depleting ground water resources in India is water harvesting system.” How can it be made effective in urban areas? (2018)
Q.3) The growth of cities as I.T. hubs have opened up new avenues of employment but has also created new problems. Substantiate this statement with examples. (2017)
MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION:
Q.1) Examine the impact of recurrent droughts on urban and rural livelihoods in India. Discuss the effectiveness of current drought management strategies and suggest comprehensive measures that the government should adopt to mitigate the adverse effects of droughts in the future.
SOURCE:
https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/a-penal-code-for-ai-9216837/
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