water crisis essay upsc

Water Crisis in India – Explained Pointwise

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The recent Bengaluru water crisis has put the spotlight again on the looming water crisis in India. Water starved Bengaluru is facing the looming threat of Day Zero (when government will shut down water connections for homes and businesses). A BBC report , based on UN-projections, had listed Bengaluru in the second position after Brazil’s São Paulo among the 11 global cities that are likely to run out of drinking water.

What is Water Crisis? What is the situation in India?

Water Crisis- Water crisis refers to the situation where the available potable, safe water in a region is less than its demand. The World Bank refers to water scarcity as a condition when the annual per-capita availability is less than 1000 cubic metres .

Water Crisis Situation in India

What are the reasons for the Water Crisis in India?

1. Rising water demand- According to NITI Aayog, India’s water demand is increasing at a rapid rate. India’s water demand will be twice the available supply by 2030 . Also, the rate of depletion of groundwater in India during 2041-2080 will be thrice the current rate.

2. Groundwater use for agriculture – There is high groundwater usage in agriculture  due to faulty cropping patterns. For ex- Water-intensive paddy cultivation in the states of Punjab and Haryana .

3. Encroachment of Natural Water Bodies- There has been destruction of lakes and small ponds to meet the infrastructure needs of burgeoning populations. For ex- Encroachment of lakes in Bengaluru .

4. Climate Change- Climate Change has led to erratic monsoon and reduced water levels in many rivers. This has induced water crisis in India.

5. Discharge of Pollutants-  There has been contamination of groundwater resources by the discharge of industrial chemicals , sewers and improper mining activities .

6. Lack of proactive management policies- Water management policies in India have failed to keep pace with changing demands of time. For ex- The Easement Act of 1882 granting groundwater ownership rights to the landowner leading to indiscriminate use of water resources.

7. Governance issues- a. Water governance in India has been fragmented . The centre and the states have their respective departments for governing various issues related to water. b. There have been separate departments for surface water and groundwater. Central Water Commission ( for surface water ) and Central Ground Water Board ( for groundwater ). c. Politicization of inter-state disputes by the political parties have hindered the quick resolution of disputes.

8. Detached Citizens- Since water is a free resource, it is not valued by the citizens. Citizens are completely detached from the water issues.

What are the impacts of Water Crisis in India?

1. Economic Impact- a. As per World Bank, India’s GDP could decline by as much as 6% by 2050 due to water scarcity. b. Water scarcity will result in decline of food production . This will hamper India’s food security and have serious impacts on the livelihood of farmers and farm labourers. c. Decline in industrial production as Industrial sectors such as textiles, thermal power plants,etc. may suffer due to water shortage

2. Ecological Impact a. Water scarcity may lead to extinction of flora and fauna . b. Heavy metal contamination (Arsenic, cadmium, nickel etc.) and oil spills in rivers and oceans respectively may threaten the marine biodiversity .

3. Social Impact a.  Deterioration of health of children due to intake of contaminated water . It leads to a reduction in human capital. b. The increased out-of-pocket expenditure on medical expenses adversely impacts the poorest and the most vulnerable sections. c. Increased hardships for women like school dropout,’ water wives ‘ to fetch water in drought prone regions .

4. Federal Relations- a. Amplification of the existing inter-state water disputes like Kaveri, Krishna, Godavari. There will be emergence of new disputes in the future. b. There will be a rise in parochial mindset and regionalism among states and may hinder growth of national unity.

5. International Relations- Water scarcity can lead to conflict among nations to get control over the water bodies. For ex- Impact on India-China relations due to Chinese building of dams over Brahmaputra river .

What are the government initiatives?

What should be the Way Forward?

1. Promotion of Water Conservation- Encouraging rainwater harvesting to capture monsoon run-off. Also, traditional water conservation practices like Kudimaramath practice (Tamil Nadu), Ahar Pynes (Bihar), Bamboo Drip irrigation System(North-East) must be revived .

2. Demand-side Management- States can adopt a participatory approach with the involvement of local communities. For ex- The Swajal model adopted by Uttarakhand focussing on community-based management of water resources. Revival of Johads in Rajasthan desert by Rajendra Singh (Waterman of India).

3. Nature-Based Solutions- Nature-based solutions refer to the solutions that mimic natural processes to provide human , ecological and societal benefits . For ex- Artificial Floodplains to increase water retention , Forest management to reduce sediment loadings.

4. River Basin Management- River basin management must be done through hydrological-basin approach rather than administrative boundaries . Also, steps must be taken to promote interlinking of rivers , while addressing its environmental concerns.

5. Evidence-based policy-making- We must create robust water data systems with real-time monitoring capabilities. For ex- Andhra Pradesh’s online water dashboard for mapping of hydrological resources for better policymaking.

6. Implementing the Mihir Shah Committee Report- The Mihir Shah Committee recommendations must be implemented for restructuring the water governance in India: a. Establishing National Water Commission by merging Central Water Commission(CWC) and Central Groundwater Board(CGWB). It would ensure that the surface and the groundwater are taken as a single entity. b. Focussing on management and maintenance of dams rather than construction of dams. c. Adopting a participatory approach to water management.

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URBAN WATER CRISIS

Posted 15 Apr 2024

Why in the news? 

Bengaluru is facing one of the worst water crises in recent years due to poor rainfall. 

Urban Water Crisis

• Water crisis refers to a situation where there is inadequate access to clean and safe water for various needs due to factors like pollution, overuse, and poor management. 
• Cape Town in 2018 and Chennai in 2019 have  experienced ‘Day Zero’.
• Water crisis is a key hindrance in achieving sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)  particularly SDG6  which calls for clean water and sanitation by 2030.

Reasons behind the Urban Water Crisis

• In Bengaluru, the number of lakes has decreased from 262 in 1961  to about 81 currently
• Pollution of water bodies: For example, large water bodies like Bellandur Lake (Bengaluru) have become heavily polluted due to industrial effluents and untreated sewage flowing into them.
• Over-extraction of groundwater: In the  most populated cities , groundwater levels have drastically decreased over the past two decades which further exacerbates the problem of water crisis. 
• Because of these, leakage happens which in turn results in high non-revenue water (i.e., water "lost" before it reaches the customer) .
• Climate change:  Erratic monsoons and a rise in the frequency and intensity of floods and droughts could adversely affect the accessibility and availability of water. 
• South India has a very different kind of aquifer system which is very rocky that don’t hold a lot of water. 

Way Forward

• Nature-Based Solutions: Promoting green-blue infrastructure and restoration of wetlands can help absorb excess water during floods and store water during droughts.  
• For example, Orange County in California (US) has employed a community education campaign to create acceptance of the recycled water .
• Community participation is also central to India’s Jal Jeevan Mission. 
• For, example, in Tamil Nadu RWH is compulsory in all new buildings.
• For example, Clean Water AI is a device that uses a deep learning  neural network to detect dangerous bacteria and harmful particles in water .
• For example,   the LOTUS-HR  program is a collaborative project between the Netherlands and India to treat sewage water in Delhi.
• Additionally, to  reduce freshwater consumption , they conform to a water audit and have real-time, online monitoring. 

• Water crisis
• Urban water crisis
• Bengaluru water crisis

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[In-depth] Bengaluru Water Crisis – Causes, Effects, Measures

From Current Affairs Notes for UPSC » Editorials & In-depths » This topic

Bengaluru, India’s burgeoning IT hub, is grappling with a severe water crisis, exacerbated by insufficient rainfall, rapid urbanization, and over-exploitation of groundwater resources. The city’s reliance on distant water sources, such as the Cauvery River, and inefficient water management practices have further compounded the problem. This crisis poses significant challenges to the city’s population, economy, and infrastructure, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable water management solutions.

This topic of “[In-depth] Bengaluru Water Crisis – Causes, Effects, Measures” is important from the perspective of the UPSC IAS Examination , which falls under General Studies Portion.

Extent of the Bengaluru Water Crisis

• Bengaluru is facing a severe  water shortage , with a daily shortfall of 500 million litres.
• The city’s total water demand is approximately 2,600 MLD, with only 1,450 MLD being supplied from the Cauvery river and 650 MLD from borewells.
• Over 3,000 borewells have dried up, exacerbating the crisis.
• The city has seen a significant loss of nearly 70% of its green cover in the last 50 years, further aggravating the water shortage.
• Residents are facing challenges in accessing potable water, leading to water rationing and reliance on water tankers. Some are considering leaving Bengaluru temporarily due to the severity of the crisis

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Causes of the Water Crisis

• Bengaluru has experienced variations in rainfall patterns, with instances of both deficit and excess rainfall over the years.
• The city’s annual rainfall surged by 89% in 2022 compared to five years ago, indicating significant variability.
• Despite this increase, prolonged dry spells due to weak monsoons have put the groundwater table under tremendous stress, leading to a sharp decline in groundwater levels across various taluks of Bengaluru Urban district.
• Bengaluru’s rapid urbanization and population growth have significantly increased water demand.
• The city’s expansion has led to the encroachment and pollution of natural water bodies, exacerbating the water crisis.
• Urban experts highlight the mushrooming of borewells and drying up of lakes as main reasons behind the crisis, with almost half of the city’s water demand met by groundwater.
• The city’s heavy reliance on the Cauvery River for more than 70% of its water supply poses challenges in water-sharing and creates a logistical and financial burden.
• The dependence on distant water sources has led to a daily shortfall of 200 million litres in water supply due to depleted groundwater levels and the need for deeper borewells.
• Weak southwest monsoon rains have led to depleted groundwater levels and reduced water levels in the Cauvery River basin reservoirs.
• The over-extraction of groundwater for potable purposes and other activities has resulted in the plummeting of the groundwater table, which had been recharged in the past decade.
• Climate change is altering precipitation patterns and increasing temperatures, contributing to the water crisis in Bengaluru.
• The city has seen an 89% rise in its annual rainfall in 2022 compared to five years ago, which could be attributed to the impact of climate change.
• Additionally, deforestation and loss of green cover have led to a more than 1055% increase in paved surfaces, with an 88% reduction in green cover and a 79% loss of wetlands/lakes, reducing groundwater recharge.

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Consequences of the Crisis

• Residents of Bengaluru are facing severe difficulties in accessing potable water, leading to long queues outside RO water plants and heavy reliance on water tankers due to groundwater depletion and the drying up of over 3,000 borewells.
• The crisis has forced many to alter their daily routines, with some residents considering leaving the city as the water crisis severely impacts their daily lives, highlighting the struggle to perform basic household tasks and the high costs associated with securing water.
• The water shortage has also prompted a shift in work habits, with many IT professionals opting to work from home to save water and avoid the inconvenience caused by the lack of water in offices, reflecting the broader impact of the water crisis on the daily lives and routines of Bengaluru’s residents.
• The water crisis is adversely affecting local industries, with sectors like IT, manufacturing, and hospitality facing significant challenges.
• Industries dependent on regular water supply for day-to-day operations are bearing the brunt of the crisis, leading to concerns about the potential long-term impact on Bengaluru’s economy and its reputation as India’s Silicon Valley.
• The situation has raised alarms among property investors, indicating a possible long-term impact on investment and business operations in the city.
• The crisis has led to increased operational costs for businesses, as they are forced to purchase water at exorbitant rates from tankers, particularly dire for industries such as textiles and hospitality, which rely heavily on water for their operations, extending beyond the immediate industries affected, potentially impacting the broader economic landscape of Bengaluru.
• The water crisis has sparked a public outcry, with residents demanding immediate and effective action from the government to address the shortage.
• The situation has led to heightened social tensions, as the struggle for water access becomes increasingly desperate.
• The crisis has also prompted political disputes and blame-shifting between parties, with the BJP and Congress engaging in a political feud over the management of the water crisis, accusations of mismanagement and failure to implement effective water management measures intensifying the political discourse surrounding the crisis.
• Political leaders have been criticized for their handling of the situation, with opposition parties accusing the government of negligence and mismanagement, leveraging the issue to criticize their opponents and push for policy changes, while the urgent need for collaborative efforts to tackle the water crisis remains a priority for the residents of Bengaluru.

Current Measures and Responses

• The Chief Minister of Karnataka has acknowledged the water shortage in Bengaluru, quantifying the deficit at 500 million litres per day (MLD), with various measures undertaken, including the formation of a technical advisory committee to prevent future crises.
• The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) aims to treat 100% of the city’s wastewater by 2025 for reuse, as part of its Total Water Management initiative, focusing on the cyclical use of water in Bengaluru’s urban waterscape.
• Rainwater harvesting (RWH) is highlighted as a crucial method to address water scarcity, capturing rainwater that would otherwise run off of paved surfaces and flood the streets.
• Wastewater treatment and reuse are emphasized as important parts of the solution to Bengaluru’s water situation, with a focus on the reuse of treated wastewater for non-potable purposes to reduce the demand for fresh water.
• Community initiatives like the Million Wells for Bengaluru campaign aim to engage citizens in groundwater recharge efforts, crucial for raising awareness and mobilizing community action towards sustainable water management practices.
• The private sector is also playing a role in addressing the water crisis through corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts and private contributions, with companies increasingly involved in water management projects to develop and implement solutions that can alleviate water scarcity in Bengaluru.

I’m unable to access or retrieve information from external websites or databases directly in real-time, including the sources you’ve provided. However, I can generate a response based on the information available up to my last update. Here’s an overview of potential long-term strategies and sustainable solutions for water management, particularly relevant to urban areas like Bengaluru:

Long-Term Strategies and Sustainable Solutions

Policy and regulatory changes.

• Comprehensive Water Management Policy : There’s a critical need for a holistic water management policy that addresses the entire water cycle, from supply and distribution to wastewater treatment and reuse. This policy should integrate climate resilience and sustainability principles to ensure water security for future generations.
• Mandatory Water Conservation Measures : Implementing mandatory water conservation measures can significantly reduce water wastage. This includes regulations for industries, commercial establishments, and residential areas to adopt water-saving technologies and practices.
• Incentives for Sustainable Practices : Offering incentives for adopting sustainable water practices, such as rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling, and the installation of water-efficient fixtures, can encourage wider adoption among the public and private sectors.

Infrastructure Development and Lake Rejuvenation

• Lake Rejuvenation Projects : Rejuvenating and managing the city’s lakes can enhance water storage and recharge groundwater. This involves desilting, restoring feeder channels, and preventing pollution and encroachment of lakes.
• Water Distribution Network Modernization : Expanding and modernizing the water distribution network is essential to reduce losses and ensure equitable water distribution. This includes replacing old and leaky pipes and implementing smart water management systems to monitor and control water flow.

Public Awareness and Education

• Water Conservation Campaigns : Launching public awareness campaigns about the importance of water conservation and responsible usage can change public attitudes and behaviors towards water. These campaigns can utilize various media platforms to reach a broad audience.
• Educational Initiatives : Integrating water sustainability concepts into the educational curriculum can foster a culture of water stewardship from a young age. Workshops, seminars, and interactive learning experiences can promote understanding and engagement in water conservation efforts.

These long-term strategies and sustainable solutions require the collaboration of government agencies, the private sector, communities, and individuals to effectively address the water crisis and ensure water security for future generations.

The water crisis in Bengaluru underscores the urgent need for comprehensive and sustainable water management strategies. Addressing the crisis requires a multifaceted approach, including government intervention, technological innovation, community engagement, and private sector participation. Effective measures such as rainwater harvesting, wastewater treatment, and infrastructure development must be prioritized to ensure the city’s resilience against future water scarcity challenges.

Practice Question

Evaluate the effectiveness of Bengaluru’s current strategies to combat its severe water crisis. Suggest innovative solutions for sustainable water management in urban areas. (250 words)

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Bengaluru Water Crisis

Last updated on April 28, 2024 by ClearIAS Team

The Bengaluru water crisis refers to the ongoing struggle of one of India’s largest and fastest-growing cities, to provide a sustainable and reliable water supply to its residents. Read here to learn more.

Despite its reputation as India’s Silicon Valley, Bengaluru faces severe water scarcity issues, exacerbated by rapid urbanization , population growth, inefficient water management, and climate change.

As of now, India’s IT hub is grappling with a severe water crisis attributed to a prolonged drought.

Table of Contents

Bengaluru water crisis

The Cauvery River’s water levels have significantly dropped as a result of insufficient rainfall, which hurts agricultural irrigation and the availability of drinking water.

Moreover, the situation is made worse by the depletion of borewells, underscoring the urgent need for quick action.

• Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar disclosed that out of the 14,781 borewells under the Bengaluru Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) and Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), 6,997 have ceased to yield water.
• As per the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Management Centre (KSNDMC), the water levels in key Cauvery Basin reservoirs, including Harangi, Hemavathi, KRS, and Kabini, stand at a mere 39 percent of their total capacity as of February 28.

Key Factors Contributing to the Crisis

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• Over-dependence on Distant Sources: Bengaluru primarily relies on the Cauvery River for its water supply, which is located about 100 kilometers away. The dependence on a single, distant source puts the city at risk, especially during drought years.
• Depleting Groundwater Levels: Over-exploitation of groundwater through borewells is a common practice in both urban and peri-urban areas of Bengaluru. This unregulated extraction has led to a dramatic decrease in groundwater levels, making it unsustainable in the long term.
• Rapid Urbanization: Unplanned urban sprawl has led to the loss of lakes, wetlands, and green spaces, which traditionally recharged the groundwater. Many lakes that exist are heavily polluted and encroached upon, reducing their effectiveness as water sources.
• Inefficient Water Management: Leakage and inefficiency in the water distribution network result in significant water loss. Estimates suggest that around 40-50% of water is lost due to leaks and unauthorized connections.
• Pollution of Water Bodies: Industrial and domestic wastewater has led to the pollution of the remaining water bodies, making the water unfit for consumption or even agricultural use.
• Climate Change: Altered rainfall patterns, with extended dry periods followed by heavy monsoon rains, challenge the existing water management infrastructure, making it difficult to capture and store water effectively.

Impact of Bengaluru water crisis

• Water Shortages: Many residents, especially in the outskirts and higher elevations of the city, face acute water shortages, relying on expensive and irregularly supplied water tankers for their daily needs.
• Quality Concerns: The water crisis also raises concerns about water quality, as the scarcity of water leads to the use of contaminated sources, increasing the risk of waterborne diseases.
• Economic Impact: The water crisis affects not just the quality of life but also the economic prospects of the city, threatening its status as a global IT hub.

Solutions and Efforts

Efforts to address the Bengaluru water crisis involve a multi-faceted approach, focusing on both supply-side and demand-side solutions:

• Rainwater Harvesting: Encouraging rainwater harvesting in residential and commercial buildings can help replenish groundwater and reduce dependence on distant water sources.
• Wastewater Treatment and Reuse: Expanding and upgrading wastewater treatment facilities to enable the reuse of water for non-potable purposes can relieve pressure on freshwater resources.
• Lake Restoration: Reviving and restoring the city’s lakes can help recharge groundwater, improve biodiversity, and create additional water reservoirs.
• Leakage Reduction: Investing in the modernization of the water distribution network to reduce leaks and unauthorized use can significantly improve water availability.
• Public Awareness and Conservation Measures: Educating residents about water conservation techniques and implementing stricter regulations on water use can help reduce demand.
• Management Frameworks: The Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) framework must be the main emphasis of groundwater planning and management. It encourages the coordinated management of resources related to water, land, and other relevant resources.

What is the state doing?

• To address this pressing issue, the state government has devised a plan involving the utilization of milk tankers from the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) to transport water to Bengaluru.
• Additionally, the government intends to take control of private borewells within the city and its vicinity.
• Phase 5 of the Cauvery project aiming to provide 110 liters of drinking water daily to 12 lakh people is expected to be completed by May 2024. The water shortage issue in the 110 villages added to BBMP in 2008 will be solved once the Cauvery V Stage work is done.
• The Phase-5 project will also include underground drainage works, which are scheduled to be finished by December 2024. This involves laying 228 km of drainage pipeline and building 13 sewage treatment plants capable of treating 100 Megalitres per day of sewage water.

Way forward

The management and security of water supplies for the people of Bengaluru are made more difficult by disputes over water sharing between Karnataka and adjacent states, especially about rivers like the Cauvery.

The federal government and state governments are engaged in a power struggle over how to divide up and allocate monies intended to alleviate the drought situation in Karnataka.

Addressing the Bengaluru water crisis requires concerted efforts from the government, private sector, civil society, and citizens to ensure sustainable water management practices that can support the city’s growth without compromising its water security.

Previous year question

Q.  What is water stress? How and why does it differ regionally in India?  (Mains 2019)

Related articles:

• Water crisis in India
• Groundwater depletion and contamination in India
• Groundwater Resource Assessment Report 2022
• Water pollution
• Desalination: a unique solution to Chennai water woes

-Article by Swathi Satish

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• Recently, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) stated that Global warming and climate change has the potential to put water security in India at risk.

Key Highlights

• India is witnessing a repeat of 2021 conditions, when temperatures touched 40 degrees Celsius as early as February in some parts of the country.
• Climate change impacts are about heat — increased and scorching temperatures — and about variable and extreme rain. 
• Both have a direct correlation with the water cycle. 
• 2021 was the year of the La Niña — the Pacific water currents that are known to bring cooler temperatures globally. 
• But global warming has offset this cooling effect of La Niña.
• Situation is bound to be worse in El Nino conditions.
• The number of rainy days in India will further go down, but extreme rainy days will increase.
• This will have a huge impact on India’s plans for water management. 

India’s Water Security

• India faces a serious and persistent water crisis owing to a growing imbalance of supply and demand, as well as poor water resource management and climate change. 
• India is projected to face severe water stress by 2050.

Image Courtesy: OECD  

• Although industry is the largest contributor to India’s GDP, agriculture accounts for nearly 90% of water use. 
• Two-thirds of India’s irrigation needs and 80% of domestic water needs are met using groundwater, contributing to the significant groundwater depletion rate. 
• Although India has one of the world’s largest irrigation systems, it is characterised by high levels of inefficient water use.
• Declining water tables mean increased cost of pumping, salty irrigation water as a result of over abstraction leading to crop and revenue losses for farmers, and long-term consequences for water availability. 
• Lack of access to improved water supply and adequate sanitation persists. 
• According to the government census of 2011, only about 30% of the 167 million rural households in India have access to tap water and household toilets.
• The discharge of untreated sewage into water bodies is the most important source of water pollution in India; eighty percent of the sewage generated goes untreated. 
• The existing policy framework lacks a clear incentive structure for efficient and sustainable water use. 
• Intra- and inter-state water sharing and lack of adequate enforcement and monitoring of existing water policies undermine water governance. 
• Low or absent water charging and energy subsidies for groundwater pumping drive severe depletion of resources.
• A lack of sustainable financing for water infrastructure results in poor maintenance of existing infrastructure and limits further investment. 

Importance of Water Security for India

• With total water demand in India expected to rise by over 70% by 2025, a huge demand-supply gap is expected in the coming years. 
• Poor water quality and lack of adequate access to sanitation are also major causes of disease and poor health.
• Proper access to potable water will minimise health issues and medical expenses.
• Adequate water security will act as a potentially significant booster on economic growth as it will reduce the costs for water infrastructure.
• It is not that evaporation losses did not happen in the past, but the rate of evaporation will now increase with the soaring temperatures
• Heat will drive up the use of water — from drinking and irrigation to fighting fires in forests or buildings. 
• Climate change is already showing up in terms of the increasing number of extreme rain events. 
• This means that one can expect rain to come like a flood, making the cycle of floods followed by droughts even more intense.
• In a country like India, where the bulk of the food is still grown in rain-fed regions, climate change will intensify land degradation and dust bowl formations.

Steps Taken

• Jal Jeevan Mission: It is envisioned to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections by 2024 to all households in rural India. 
• Jal Shakti Abhiyaan: It was launched by Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) in 2019, a time-bound campaign with a mission mode approach intended to improve water availability including groundwater conditions in the water-stressed blocks of 256 districts in India. 
• National Water Policy: National Water Policy (2012) has been formulated by the Department of Water Resources, RD & GR, inter-alia advocates rainwater harvesting and conservation of water and highlights the need for augmenting the availability of water through direct use of rainfall. 
• Groundwater legislation: Ministry has circulated a Model Bill to all the States/UTs to enable them to enact suitable groundwater legislation for the regulation of its development, which also includes the provision of rainwater harvesting. So far, 19 States/UTs have adopted and implemented groundwater legislation.
• Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA): It has been constituted under Section 3 (3) of the “Environment (Protection) Act, 1986” for the purpose of regulation and control of groundwater development and management in the Country.
• Master Plan for Artificial Recharge to Groundwater- 2020: It has been prepared by CGWB in consultation with States/UTs which is a macro-level plan indicating various structures for the different terrain conditions of the country including estimated cost. 
• National water Awards: The Department of Water Resources, RD& GR has instituted National Water awards to incentivize good practices in water conservation and groundwater recharge.
• Mass awareness programmes: Training, Seminars, Workshops, Exhibitions, Trade Fares and Painting Competitions etc. are conducted from time to time each year under the Information, Education & Communication (IEC) Scheme of DoWR, RD & GR in various parts of the Country to promote rainwater harvesting and artificial recharge to groundwater.
• The Framework strives to ensure synergies in Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), erstwhile Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) now PMKSYWatershed Development Component and Command Area Development & Water Management (CADWM), given their common objectives. 
• Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABHY): It is an Rs.6000 crore scheme with World Bank funding, for sustainable management of groundwater with community participation is being taken up in the identified over-exploited and water-stressed areas fall in the States of Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
• India’s irrigation planners and bureaucracies have largely depended on canals and other surface water systems. 
• Now, the focus needs to be on the management of groundwater systems, i.e., underground water storage, or wells.
• Water management must go hand-in-hand with vegetation planning to improve the ability of soils to hold water, even in times of intense and prolonged heat.
• There is a need to work not just on storing water in millions of structures, but also plan for reducing losses due to evaporation. 
• Even the wastewater that is currently being left to flow down drainpipes should also be utilised.
• As extreme rains become the norm, the structures being created under MGNREGA will need to be redesigned so that they last over the seasons.

Source : DTE

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Decoding Delhi’s Water Crisis: Causes, Impact and Solution

What’s in today’s article?

Why in news, where is the water in delhi coming from, and water stress in delhi.

• Reasons for Water Scarcity in Delhi
• Challenges Posed by Water Scarcity

What are the Solutions to Address Water Scarcity?

• The Supreme Court directed the Himachal Pradesh government to release 137 cusecs of water it has in surplus and asked Haryana to do the needful to resolve the drinking water crisis in Delhi.
• This came after the AAP government in Delhi had approached the SC (alleging the BJP-government in Haryana for stopping Yamuna’s water supply), amidst a surge in water demand during prolonged heatwave.
• From the Ganga , via the Upper Ganga Canal in UP, Delhi receives 470 cusecs/ roughly 254 million gallons per day (MGD) of water.
• Two channels (carrier lined channel (CLC) Munak and the Delhi sub-branch (DSB) canals) entering Delhi from Haryana supply Delhi (1094 cusecs) with water from the Yamuna and Ravi-Beas rivers.
• The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) also takes water directly from the Yamuna and supplements its river-water supply with ground water drawn from Delhi’s tubewells and wells .
• According to the Composite Water Management Index released by NITI Aayog in 2019, five of the world’s 20 largest cities under water stress are in India, with Delhi being second on the list.

Reasons for Water Scarcity in Delhi:

• Over-extraction of groundwater: According to the Economic Survey 2023-24, Delhi has a daily water demand of 1,290 MGD, of which the DJB currently produces 1,000 MGD. The gap is met by Delhi’s groundwater reserves.
• High ammonia levels (more than 2.5 parts per million) in the Yamuna have long contributed to poor water supply in parts of Delhi.
• Numerous drains and rivulets discharge toxic waste from small and medium industries into the Yamuna river , eventually affecting Delhi’s clean water supply.
• According to the draft of the Delhi State Action Plan on Climate Change, the city is projected to incur economic losses of Rs 2.75 trillion by 2050 as a result of climate change impacts.
• Rising temperatures and erratic precipitation patterns pose significant challenges to the city’s water supply.
• The Opposition alleges that the annual water shortage during summers is solely because of the inefficient water management of the state government. 
• The Central Water Commission’s inefficient role in managing the three barrages in Wazirabad, ITO, and Okhla indicates poor coordination and transparency among Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh governments.
• Inter-state water disputes: Water disputes between Haryana and Delhi have centred around the allocation of water from the Yamuna river. Haryana alleges that Delhi is drawing more water than allocated under various agreements.
• Water treatment plant (WTP) capacity: The WTP in North Delhi’s Wazirabad was functioning below its capacity because the Yamuna did not have enough water (due to deficit rainfalls) for the DJB to draw from the Wazirabad reservoir.

Challenges Posed by Water Scarcity:

• With the reduced availability of clean water, marginalised communities living in unauthorised colonies often have to rely on unsafe water sources, leading to waterborne diseases .
• Insufficient water supply also hampers the maintenance and cleanliness of public toilets. When water is scarce, sewage systems can fail, which increases the risk of diseases such as cholera .
• Increased illness due to poor hygiene and sanitation leads to higher healthcare costs for individuals and the government.
• Frequent illnesses impact productivity as people miss work or school, affecting their economic well-being and academic opportunities.
• The dependence on water tankers for domestic needs can be unreliable and costly, leading to further economic strain for the marginalised communities.
• Recently, the Delhi government ordered a crackdown on water misuse , authorising inspection teams to fine offenders using pipes to wash cars, allowing water tanks to overflow, and using domestic water supply for construction.
• The teams are also authorised to disconnect illegal water connections at construction sites or commercial establishments.
• To stop waste discharge from entering Yamuna, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the State Pollution Control Boards need to take the initiatives.
• Water rationing strategies must be announced during summer months.
• The DJB, in collaboration with Hitachi India, is using field sensors and smart metres at the Pitampura water distribution network.
• Such technological intervention could enable remote and real-time monitoring and control of plant operations.
• Infrastructure development: The DJB can be more commercially-oriented and customers (households, businesses and industries) should be prepared to pay for the ‘real cost’ of supply. The DJB has recently increased infra charges for new water connections.
• State and city governments should consider water resource availability in the region while creating city plans and providing permits for new establishments.
• They must restrict any development activities that are not sustainable in terms of water management.
• Delhi’s rainwater harvesting potential amounts to a staggering 907 billion litres annually.
• To effectively implement rooftop rainwater harvesting, various awareness campaigns can be organised at the community level.

Q.1. What is the mechanism in India to resolve Inter-state river water disputes?

According to Article 262 of the Indian constitution, Parliament may by law provide for the adjudication of any dispute with respect to the use, distribution or control of the waters of any inter-State river or river valley.

Q.2. Why is the Yamuna river in Delhi so polluted?

The Yamuna river is most polluted in areas surrounding Delhi, owing to the area's dense population and high levels of waste. For decades, sections of the Yamuna have been plagued by the dumping of toxic chemicals and untreated sewage.

Source: Delhi water crisis: Supreme Court orders Himachal Pradesh to release 137 cusecs of water to quench Delhi’s thirst | IE | BS

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• Water Scarcity

Water Scarcity - Water Stress in India & Prevention of Water Scarcity [UPSC Notes]

Water scarcity is insufficient freshwater resources to meet the human and environmental demands of a given area. This article will talk about the topic ‘Water Scarcity’ which is important in the IAS Exam from the perspective of UPSC General Studies I & III, and essay papers of the Mains Exam.

Table of Contents:

Types of Water Scarcity

Adequate access to safe drinking water is a priority for global development. However, given the challenges of population growth, profligate use, growing population, and changes in weather patterns due to global warming, many countries, both wealthy and poor are facing water scarcity in the 21st century.

There are two types of water scarcity:

• Physical water scarcity
• Economic water scarcity

Physical Water scarcity

Physical or absolute water scarcity is the result of regions demand outpacing the limited water resources found in that location. As per the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, around 1.2 Billion people live in areas of physical scarcity; many of these people live in arid or semi-arid regions. People impacted by this kind of water scarcity are expected to grow as populations increase and as weather patterns become more unpredictable due to climate change.

Economic Water scarcity

This kind of water scarcity primarily arises due to the lack of water infrastructure in general or due to the poor management of water resources where the infrastructure is in place. As per FAO estimates more than 1.6 Billion people face economic water shortage. Economic water scarcity can also arise due to unregulated water use for agriculture and industry at the expense of the general population.

What is the Water Footprint?

Everything that we consume in our daily life, whatever we eat, sell, buy, wear requires water to make them. Water footprint measures the amount of water used to produce each of the goods and services we use . It can be measured for any process, like growing crops, for producing clothes, for the fuel we use in our travels, or for a multinational company.

A nation’s water footprint is defined as the total amount of water needed for the production of goods and services calculated by adding all the water consumed plus the water inherent in products imported, then subtracted by water in exports.

India’s water footprint is 980 cubic metres per capita, ranks below the global average of 1243 cubic metres. India contributes roughly 12 % of the world’s total water footprint.

Effects of Water Scarcity Across the Globe

The problem of water scarcity has gained a lot of importance due to the potential damage it can inflict. As per some reports, 1.1 billion people worldwide lack access to water, and a total of 2.7 Billion people find water scarce for at least one month of the year.

• As per 2017 Global Risks Report of the World Economic Forum , in terms of impact on humanity, the water crisis is ranked as the 3rd most important global risk.
• Governments will be forced to choose between agricultural, industrial, municipal or environmental interests and some groups would win at the expense of others.
• Water scarcity can result in forced migration. It may lead to domestic or regional conflicts, in geopolitically fragile areas.
• As per the UN report, over 2 Billion people live in countries experiencing high water stress. As per UNESCO 24 Million and 700 Million people will be displaced in some Arid and Semi-arid regions by 2030.
• Inadequate sanitation is also a problem for 2.4 Billion people. They are exposed to diseases, such as Cholera and Typhoid fever, and other water-borne illnesses. 2 million people, mostly children, die each year from diarrheal diseases alone.

Water Scarcity in India

India has 4 % of the world’s freshwater which has to cater to 17 % of the world’s population.

As per NITI Aayog report released in June 2019, India is facing the worst-ever water crisis in history. Approximately 600 million people or roughly around 45 % of the population in India is facing high to severe water stress. As per the report, 21 Indian cities will run out of their main source of water i.e. groundwater by 2020. The report goes on to say that nearly 40 % of the population will have absolutely no access to drinking water by 2030 and 6 % of India’s GDP will be lost by 2050 due to the water crisis.

Main causes of Water Scarcity in India

As per World Bank data, India accounts for 25 % of global demand for groundwater. More than 90 % of groundwater in India is used for irrigated agriculture. The remaining 24 Billion m 3 supplies 85 % of the country’s drinking water. Approximately 80 % of India’s 1.35 Billion population depends on groundwater for both drinking and irrigation.

The table shows India has a smaller area equipped for irrigation compared to China, yet India consumes almost double the amount of water for agriculture purpose. This shows inefficiency in water usage which is unsustainable.

India is a major exporter of rice which implies India is exporting millions of litres of water annually.

The most important crops of India are rice, wheat and sugarcane. They are the most water-consuming crops. Rice, which is a major crop export, consumed about 3,500 litres of water for a kilogram of grain produced. Punjab which is the 3rd largest producer of rice in India, is completely dependent on groundwater for production of rice, though Punjab fares well from a land productivity perspective, they are lagging behind states like West Bengal, Bihar in terms of water productivity as they consume two to three times more water than Bihar and West Bengal to produce a kilogram of rice. For detailed information on Major Crops of India , visit the link provided here.

Check out other links related to crops of India –

Sugarcane is another water-guzzling crop in India, which is a very popular crop among farmers in Maharashtra because they are assured of marketing by sugar mills. The primary source of water for growing this crop is groundwater, whereas states like Bihar which is more suitable for the production of sugarcane produce only 4 % of the country’s total sugar cane output. Know in detail about Agriculture in India on the given link.

Water storage in India is about 209 m 3 per person far below the minimum threshold of 1,000 m 3 per person for identifying water scarcity in a country. In addition, the per capita availability of water has reduced from 2,209 m 3 per year in 1991 to 1545 m 3 per year in 2011.

Though the Minimum Support Price (MSP) announced by the Government was usually for around 22 crops, the MSP incentive was skewed in favour of rice and wheat. Hence even states which are dry, where weather conditions were not in favour, farmers still preferred to grow rice and wheat resulting in excessive extraction of groundwater to grow the rice and wheat.

Given below are a few important links related to agriculture –

Effects of Water Scarcity in India

Social and Political Effects of Water Scarcity in India

Effects of Water Scarcity on Food Security

• 74 % of the area under wheat cultivation and 63 % of the area under rice cultivation faces extreme levels of water scarcity.
• Expected demand-supply gap of up to 570 Billion m 3 by 2030 in the agriculture sector.
• Virtual water export adds to the problem, the export of approximately 37 lakh tonnes of Basmati rice alone cost India 10 Trillion litres of water in 2014-15.

8 Ways to Prevent Risks on Food Security due to Water Scarcity

• States should start using a water lens while developing agricultural policies and incentives.
• India needs to manage its international export of virtual water.
• Ensure that crop production patterns within the country, across different states, are aligned to regional water availability.
• Agriculture policies that limit the export of water-intensive crops or reduce Minimum Support Price (MSP) and subsidies for water-intensive crops (particularly sugarcane, cotton and rice) in regions with declining water tables.
• Emphasise on the adoption of water-efficient technologies, management systems, farmer education, and advisory services.
• Consider developing an agricultural water export index to track virtual water, to track the amount of virtual water exported by India through trade commodities to other countries. This can enable better policy and incentives that support water sustainability.
• The water footprint network has developed an interactive tool to calculate and map the water footprint by different users, assess its sustainability, and identify strategic interventions for improving water use.
• Invest in scaling up Micro-irrigation. It is a vital solution to make India’s agriculture more water-efficient, the adoption rate is still small due to problems in the sustained adoption of micro-irrigation across seasons due to maintenance challenges and cost pressures. A programme that takes care of financial support, operational support, and technical support is essential. The Government of India’s ‘Per Drop More Crop’ component under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana promotes the use of drip and sprinkler irrigation by farmers.
• Effects of Water Scarcity on the Carrying Capacity of Urban Hubs
• 5 of the world’s largest cities under water stress present in India.
• No Indian city is able to provide 24 hours 7 days a week water supply to its entire urban population.
• Expected water demand-supply gap of approximately 50 Billion m 3 for the domestic sector by 2030, as future demand doubles present use.

3 Ways to Prevent Water Scarcity in Urban Areas

• An integrated approach to land-use planning and zoning where water will be the crux of the planning is the sole way to ensure sustainable urban development in which the needs of the city’s water needs are met.
• While creating city plans and providing permits for new establishments, state and city governments should consider water resource availability in the region, and resist developmental activities that are not sustainable from the perspective of water management.
• The government can take a leaf out of the book from the American Planning Association (APA) in the United States which has introduced water-related policy guidelines, which treats water as a critical component of infrastructure planning.

Economic Risks of Water Scarcity in India

• Effects of Water Scarcity on sustainable industrial activity
• Industries expected to draw 3 times water compared to their actual consumption by 2030.
• Shutdowns possible as states prioritize irrigation and household needs, and fail to provide water to industries.
• Water intensive industries such as Food & Beverages, Textiles, Paper & Paper products are likely to be worst affected.

4 Ways to Prevent Risks for Industrial Activity due to Water Scarcity

• Water usage can be optimized by giving permits that put caps on water consumption by each user.
• Industrial zoning can restrict water-intensive industries from setting up in water-scarce regions, this will promote water efficiency amongst small and large industries.
• We could take an example of Australia’s Murray-Darling Basin which supports water trading worth AUD 2 Billion annually. It is a system where water entitlements and allocations are provided to industrial units annually, and they are allowed to trade i.e. buy and sell their water quotas amongst different users, to maximize their outputs and income by optimizing water use.
• ESG compliance checks by banks can act as an effective tool for adopting water conservation activities by organisations that seek external funding. The risks posed to organisations due to water shortages and scarcity will affect the performance of banks. An Indian bank checks and raises a red flag if the availability of water in the region is insufficient to support the business operations of an organisation. Another bank conducts portfolio analysis and covers water as a key non-financial risk.

Effects of Water Scarcity on Energy Production in India

• 40 % of India’s thermal power plants presently located in water-scarce regions
• 70 % of India’s thermal power plants are expected to face high water stress by 2030.

Read about Thermal Power Plants in India from the linked article.

4 Ways to Prevent Risks on Energy Production due to Water Scarcity

• Diversifying to renewable energy sources like Solar and Wind energy, that are not reliant on water to generate energy. Government has already set targets of 175 GW of energy by 2022, this will considerably help in diverting the crisis.
• Make sure that new Thermal power plants are only established in regions where there is no scarcity of water availability.
• Promote the adoption of water-efficient technologies for operation of power plants and the production of energy.
• National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) is exploring solutions such as desalination plants which can create additional water for human use, and floating Solar PV can reduce the natural rate of evaporation and support conservation of water.

Environmental Risks of Water Scarcity in India

• Effects of Water Scarcity on Biodiversity of India
• Human intervention impacts 35 species on average in biodiversity hotspots in India .
• The Western Ghats , the Himalayas and North East are amongst hotspots with threatened species category.
• Dam construction on the Kali river contributed to the Western Ghats decline in forest cover of 30 percentage points in approximately 40 years.

3 Ways to Prevent Biodiversity Destruction in India

• Economic policy needs to incorporate economic value of biodiversity, impact on the environment needs to be evaluated when new development activities, such as building dams or reservoirs are planned.
• Explore the possibility of smaller projects in multiple locations instead of one large project in one geographical location, since the cumulative environmental footprint of such smaller projects might be lower compared to one large project.
• Undertake large scale tree plantation to re-establish habitats and support resuscitation of bird population and wildlife in the region.

Effects of Water Scarcity on Desertification

• Approximately 30 % of Indian land is degraded or faces desertification
• Water erosion is the largest cause of desertification and is responsible for approximately 11 % of total desertification.
• Cost of land degradation estimated at approximately 2.1 % of India’s 2014-15 GDP.

Read more about Desertification from the linked article.

4 Ways to Prevent Risks of Desertification

• Afforestation is a very effective method, but it must be done strategically and scientifically so that the right mix of flora is propagated i.e. local species, drought-tolerant variety of trees etc.
• Adopt agroforestry, in this method trees and shrubs, are grown next to crops and pasturelands. It can reduce erosion and even increase biodiversity in areas currently covered with mono-cropping and without cover crops and natural barriers.
• By increasing the green cover it will help in groundwater rejuvenation as water absorption and retention capacity of soil increases. It is important to tap into local and grassroots knowledge to select the right trees for the appropriate geography.
• China’s ‘great wall’ initiative is a phenomenal example of China making large scale investments in tackling desertification. The country has planted 66 Billion trees in the arid Northern territory and they claim to have reduced sandstorms by 20 % and desertification by nearly 5,000 miles in recent years.

Measures for Preventing Water Scarcity in India (Central Government)

Ministry of Jal Shakti

The Government of India established the Ministry of Jal Shakti to consolidate interrelated functions pertaining to water management. The Ministry launched Jal Shakti Abhiyan – a campaign for water conservation and water security. Get detailed information on Jal Shakti Ministry on the page linked here.

Jal Shakti Abhiyan Campaign

Jal Shakti Abhiyan launched in

• 1592 water-stressed blocks
• 256 districts

The major focus areas of Jal Shakti Abhiyan is given below

• Water conservation and rainwater harvesting
• Renovation of traditional and other water bodies/tanks
• Borewell recharge structures
• Watershed development
• Intensive afforestation
• Block and District water conservation plans
• Promotion of efficient water use for irrigation
• Better choice of crops for Krishi Vigyan Kendras

Jal Abhiyan is a time-bound, mission-mode water conservation campaign. Hence to make sure that efforts are going in the right direction, The National Institute for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog has developed a comprehensive water management metrics named Composite Water Management Index (CWMI).

The Government of India has announced an ambitious target of providing piped clean drinking water to all villages by 2024.

Read more about Jal Shakti Abhiyan from the linked article.

Atal Bhujal Yojana 

In order to acknowledge and contain the ever-growing problem of groundwater depletion, the Indian Government introduced the Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABY) in December 2019 after getting financial approval from the World Bank in 2018. It was launched under Jal Jeevan Mission. It is related to groundwater usage and conservation in India.

The objective of the program was to lay emphasis on the recharge of groundwater resources and improve the exploitation of the groundwater resources, with the involvement of people at the local level. Further details on Atal Bhujal Yojana can be read on the linked page.

Adoption of Composite Water Management Index (CWMI)

The National Institute for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog has developed the Composite Water Management Index (CWMI) to enable effective water management in Indian states. The first edition was published in 2018 and became a very well-received publication inside and outside the country.

Mandate of CWMI

• Establish a benchmark for state-level performance on key water indicators.
• Identify the high performing states and low performing states thereby inculcating a culture of constructive competition among states
• Identify areas for deeper engagement and investment on the part of the states.

Measures for Preventing Water Scarcity (State Government)

Rajasthan – Mukhya Mantri Jal Swalambhan Abhiyan (MJSA)

The objective is to make villages self-sufficient in water through participatory water management approach.

• Launched in 2016
• A unique feature is the usage of Drones to identify water bodies for restoration
• Gram Sabha in villages is responsible for budgeting of water resources for different uses, providing greater power to the community members in decision-making.

6 Accomplishments of the MJSA program

• In the 1st 2 phases of the program, 7742 villages in Rajasthan benefited by 2.3 Lakh water conservation activities.
• In the 2nd phase, 1.35 Lakh water conservation structures were created in 4213 villages.
• Benefited more than 88 lakh people, 93 lakh heads of livestock, covering an area of 33.50 Lakh hectares.
• After the 1st phase, there was a 56 % reduction of water supply through tankers and the average rise in the groundwater table by 4.6 feet in 21 non-desert districts of the states.
• 50,000 hectares of additional land had been made fit for cultivation in the districts
• 64 % of the handheld pumps had been rejuvenated.

Andhra Pradesh – Neeru Chettu Programme

The objective is to make Andhra Pradesh drought-proof and reduce economic inequalities through better water conservation and management practices. Highlights of the program are given below.

• Repaired about 7,000 farm ponds
• Repaired 22,000 check dams
• 102 lift irrigation schemes have been commissioned or revived.
• This program has enabled irrigation access to approximately 2,10,000 acres of land in the state.

Maharashtra – Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan

Launched in 2015 – 16, with the aim of making 5000 villages water scarcity free, every year. This program entails the following

• Deepening and widening of streams
• Construction of cement and earthen stop dams
• Works on nullahs and digging of farm ponds.
• Geo-tagging of water bodies and use of a mobile application to enable web-based monitoring

3 Accomplishments of the Jalyukt Shivar Abhiyan program

• Increase in groundwater levels of 1.5 to 2 metres.
• 11,000 villages have been declared drought-free
• Agricultural productivity has increased by 30 % – 50 %

Telangana – Mission Kakatiya Program

• Launched in 2014
• Aims to restore 46,000 tanks across the state and bring over 20 lakh acres land under cultivation.
• Enhancing the development of minor irrigation structures
• Promoting community-based irrigation management.
• Restoration of tanks to enable effective utilization of the 255 TMC water allocated for minor irrigation under Godavari and Krishna river basins.

4 Accomplishments of the Mission Kakatiya Program

• Over 22,500 tanks had been restored till March 2018
• The program Boosted water storage capacity of water bodies
• Enhanced on-farm moisture retention capacity in the region.
• Increase in the gross area irrigated under tank ayacut by 51.5 % compared to the base year.

Gujarat – Sujalam Sufalam Yojana

It is a water conservation scheme by the Gujarat Government launched in May 2018; it focuses on

• Deepening of water bodies before monsoons
• Desilting of water bodies
• Target to increase water storage capacity by 11,000 lakh cubic feet through deepening of 13,000 lakes, check dams, and reservoirs. The program was a success as per media reports.
• 2nd edition was launched in 2019 in which the state increased its financial contribution to 60 % for programme activities, requiring private entities to pay only remaining 40 %

Madhya Pradesh – Kapil Dhara Yojana

• Develop irrigation facilities on private land of small and marginal farmers, through the construction of dug wells, farm ponds, check dams etc.
• Focuses on providing financial support to landholders without access to irrigation facilities and prioritizes marginalized communities to maximize impact.
• The program has contributed to improved productivity, intensity, and diversity of crop production in the region and generates livelihood sources.

Punjab – Pani Bachao Paise Kamao

The program launched to break water-energy nexus.

• It is an innovative program, where farmers are provided with fixed electricity quota and receiving Rs 4 per KWh (Kilowatt-hour) for every unit of electricity saved through Direct Benefits Transfer (DBT).
• The scheme launched by the Department of Power on a pilot basis in the districts of Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur; allows farmers to join on a voluntary basis.
• A unique solution to the widespread problem of electricity and water wastage by farmers by encouraging them to use the resources efficiently by incentivising them monetarily for being water efficient.

Uttar Pradesh – Jakhni Village, Bundelkhand

Jakhni village of Banda district in the Bundelkhand region was one of the most water-scarce regions in India. There was heavy migration from the village in search of water and for better livelihood, but the villagers drastically changed the situation through rigorous water conservation techniques as given below.

• Construction of farm ponds
• Restoration/rejuvenation of water bodies
• Collection and utilization of greywater
• Raising of farm bunds
• Intensive plantation of trees

The uniqueness of this success is farmers of Jakhni undertook the entire work without any

external funding, machinery or resources.

Accomplishments

• It has become a water self-sufficient village, it was earlier drought-prone
• Improved agricultural production – now produces 23,000 quintals of Basmati rice, production of other crops has also increased by manifolds

Water contamination in India

As per the NITI Aayog report, 70 % of all of the country’s fresh water in the ground or on the surface is polluted. As per the report, 600 Million Indians are facing a high or extreme water crisis. 2,00,000 Indians die every year since they are drinking, washing, and bathing in contaminated water.

Relevant links to cover up the topic on water and its scarcity comprehensively for the upcoming UPSC exam are given below-

4 Ways Adopted to Prevent Water Scarcity Across the Globe

We need to use a multi-pronged approach to address the matter. 1. Aquifer Recharging

An aquifer is a body of permeable soil or rock that contains or transmits groundwater. They are usually refilled from rain or melting snow. As per UN reports groundwater withdrawal has tripled in the past 50 years; areas with highest groundwater withdrawals include parts of China, India and the United States. Around 67% is used for agricultural purposes, 22% for domestic use, 11% for industrial use. Aquifer recharge involves injecting excess surface water into underground aquifers. Water can be treated before injection. Use native plant species in wetland areas to boost aquifers natural recharge capabilities.

2. Water reuse and Zero-Liquid Discharge Technology

This method can alleviate water scarcity for municipalities and industries. Zero Liquid Discharge technologies use, treat, and reuse water in a closed-loop system without release or discharge.

3. Coastal Reservoir Projects

Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan have Coastal reservoir projects that have been effectively functioning and supplying people with drinking water.

4. Desalination Plants

This is a process of treating saline or brackish water. This process can be used to treat seawater or groundwater containing salt concentrations that make it unfit for drinking. Highly saline water contains salt in the concentrations ranging between 10,000 ppm and 35,000 ppm. Freshwater is defined as water with less than 1,000 ppm of salt.

Due to growing demands, many nations are investing in this technology. There are an estimated 16,000 desalination plants in operation around the world. The largest desalination plants are in Saudi Arabia, UAE and Israel. Unfortunately, desalination plants are energy guzzlers. It requires 10 times more energy than that consumed by pumping well water.

As the trend suggests, the number of questions being asked from the environment segments is increasing. Candidates can get the complete trend analysis in our GS 3 strategy, Structure and Syllabus page.

The above details would be of help to candidates preparing for UPSC 2022  exams from the perspective of mains examination.

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Water Crisis in India – Issues, Causes, and Consequences

What is a water crisis in india.

A water crisis in India generally means the insufficient availability of drinking water, lack of sufficient available water resources to meet the demands of water usage within a region.  A water crisis is a situation where the available potable, unpolluted water within a region is less than that region’s demand.

Water Crisis in India

What is the present situation?

• India’s  most water-stressed blocks  are in Tamil Nadu (541), followed by Rajasthan (218), Uttar Pradesh (139), and Telangana (137), with several states reeling under drought-like conditions.
• Due to poor monsoon in the month of June, the Central Water Commission said the water level in 92 major reservoirs was  about 17% of their live storage capacity . 
• As per Niti Aayog – nearly 600 million Indians already face “ high to extreme water stress . It said 21 cities including Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad will run out of groundwater by 2020, affecting 100 million people. 
• As per the Niti Aayog water crisis will  lead to a loss of 6% in GDP  by 2050.
• India is placed at 120th position among 122 countries in terms of poor water condition
• This kind of use has caused a reduction in  groundwater levels in India by 61 percent between 2007 and 2017 , according to report by Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), presented in the Lok Sabha last year.
• Rapid deforestation  – will lead to a fall in rainfall and also decrease in check dams created by these trees which helps in recharging groundwater.
• Increasing urbanization and industrialization  has led to a rise in demand for water supply resulting in a declining groundwater level.
• India  extracts more groundwater than China and the US  the next two biggest pullers of groundwater – combined. 
• Groundwater forms the majority share of  agriculture and water supply-demand .
• Luxurious consumption   of water  in Urban areas. Megacities like Delhi and Mumbai get more that than the standard municipal water norm of 150 liters per capita per day (LPCD) while others get 40-50 LPCD.
• Loss of traditional water harvesting system  due to demands of rising population and liberal implementation of town planning rules.
• Chennai  that is facing acute water shortage had nearly two dozen water bodies and wetlands but most of them are out of use today.

Consequences

• Death of more than 2,00,000 people annually due to non-availability of potable water
• Rift among states and societal fights have now become daily chorus
• Droughts are becoming more frequent , creating severe problems, especially because approx 53% of Agriculture in India is rain-fed.
• Niti Aayog Database  says 54% of wells in India are declining in level due to unsustainable withdrawals for irrigation.
• Poor or low water supply for agriculture -> poor crop production-> rising cases of  farmer suicides .
• Non-availability of water ponds or other water bodies leads to lakhs of animals and birds dining annually.

Steps Taken

• Jal Shakti Abhiyan – 
• Renaming the Water Ministry as  Jal Shakti Ministry  to create awareness. And for an integrated approach to water conservation and management with the aim of providing piped water to every rural home by 2024.
• The  NRDWP’s objectives  and goals were to provide adequate and safe drinking water on a sustainable basis India’s Water Challenges

India’s most water-stressed blocks are in Tamil Nadu (541), followed by Rajasthan (218), Uttar Pradesh (139), and Telangana (137), with several states reeling under drought-like conditions.

Major Challenges to Water Crisis in India

• The key to overcoming the impending water crisis is  adequate and reliable data , which remains a big challenge.
• It is estimated that around  40 percent of piped water in India is lost to leakage .
• Making water available for a  rising population,  we are to become the world’s most populated country I near future 
• Further increasing demand in Urban areas due to luxurious pattern of water consumption
• A 2018 World Bank report also said there was a direct link between the availability of  water and poverty , quoting a study in India that estimated poverty rates to be higher by 9-10 percent in districts where groundwater tables were below 8 meters.
• Water is also an important component of the dietary pattern of any human being. Which seems to be get compromised now.
• As much 98 percent of water-related schemes, including piped water schemes, continue to be based on groundwater with little attention being paid to use surface water.

Various states like Assam, Nagaland, Uttarakhand, and Meghalaya have the lowest Index scores. The reason behind such scores is  neglect in terms of water management and policy action , and limited availability of monetary resources for investment at the same time. 

Odisha  has exhibited the largest drop. In a single year, the state has dropped to fourth place.

Chennai Case Study

Chennai  is a classic case of mismanagement of water resources. Taps have gone dry here, and other parts of Tamil Nadu, as it faces one of the worst summers this year. Due to the  water shortage ,  political instability  is also increasing along with cold wars between states in India being underway. 

(The Puzhal reservoir in Chennai, India, in April 2018 and April 2019.)

Chennai floods  were a clear manifestation of poor management of water resources and added to that encroachment of building s and corporate areas over the traditional water harvesting system. The recent crisis has already led to interstate rift between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Further the locals are also not liking to communicate with the other state’s people. 

This case shows us how disastrous it can be the consequences of water shortage despite India numerically being a water surplus economy.

Tamil Nadu is one of the states of India which practices  rainwater harvesting . But now it has been the first Indian state where rainwater harvesting has been mandatory.

• Need of  great awareness regarding the looming water crisis . The way we are talking about the Air Pollution problem, the water crisis would also get similar attention.
• Building up a  data repository on water crisis  and water availability. The Niti Aayog says data systems related to water in the country are limited in their coverage, robustness, and efficiency.
• The  World Health Organisation prescribes 25 liters of water  for one person a day to meet all basic hygiene and food needs. We need to think about this.
• India captures  only eight percent of its annual rainfall –  which is among the lowest in the world. We need to brace up our water harvesting system to utilize the wasted potential of our  water festival -Monsoon .
• Reuse of household water , which otherwise flows directly to drains.
• Taking ideas and help from  desert topography country  –  Israel . Israel treats 100 percent of its used water and recycles 94 percent of it back to households. More than half of irrigation in Israel is done using reused water.
• Rain Water Harvesting
• Renovation and revival of traditional water bodies and tanks
• Reuse of water and recharge structures
• Watershed Development
• Intensive Afforestation
• Groundwater Recharging

Legal Backing to Water

• Easement Act of 1882  gives every landowner the right to collect and dispose of groundwater and surface water within his/her own limits is still in operation. his law makes regulation of water usage by a person on his/her land.
• Waterfalls under the  state list of the Constitution meaning  only the state governments can frame a regulatory law.

Steps to be taken by the Government to address Water Crisis in India

• The government needs to s eriously take action in educating the public  on proper uses of water, and people also need to concern themselves about the dangers of wasting water.
• The government of India must  concentrate on managing demand . They must ensure a timely, leak-proof, and safe water supply rather than promising 24 hours supply based on nothing.
• Controlling the  water consumption at irrigation level  is the most important factor as it consumes 85% of groundwater without inflicting the food security of the country.
• Water literacy  at the national level should be the primary focus, which has not been seriously done so far. 
• The government of India needs to launch an aggressive program of  nature-based solution, ecological restoration , ideally to build resilience and generate livelihoods.

Niti Aayog Composite Water Management Index

The index comprises 9 broad sectors with 28 different indicators covering various aspects of groundwater, restoration of water bodies, irrigation, farm practices, drinking water, policy, and governance. 

Niti Aayog Report on Water Crisis or Composite Water Management Index

• 75 percent of households  do not have drinking water  on-premise and about 84 percent of rural households do not have piped water access.
• Critical groundwater resources , which accounted for 40% of India’s water supply, are being depleted at “unsustainable” rates and up to 70% of India’s water supply is “ contaminated”. 
• Nearly  600 million Indians already face “high to extreme water stress.  It said 21 cities including Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad will run out of groundwater by 2020, affecting 100 million people. 
• As per the Niti Aayog water crisis will l ead to a loss of 6% in GDP  by 2050.
• An  average of 200,000 Indian lives is lost every  year due to inadequate supply or contamination of water.
• By 2030, the country’s  water demand is projected to be twice the available  supply.
• The  Niti Aayog Database  says 54% of wells in India are declining in level due to unsustainable withdrawals for irrigation.

More on the Water Crisis in India

Low performing state on Index – About 60% of the States were marked as “low performers” and this was cause for “alarm,” according to the report. Many of the States that performed badly on the index — Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh — accounted for 20-30% of India’s agricultural output. Which could lead to a food security crisis in India?

While Jharkhand and Rajasthan may have scored low, they have made a remarkable improvement when compared over two years.

High and medium performers – Several of the high and medium performers — Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Telangana — had faced droughts in recent years. Therefore,  a lack of water was not necessarily grounds for States  not initiating action on conservation.  Conclusion

India is still a water surplus state. According to the Central Water Commission, India needs a maximum of 3,000 billion cubic meters of water a year while it receives 4,000 billion cubic meters of rain. The key is yearly action prior to the monsoon, rather than the odd major initiative.

The effective answer to the freshwater crisis is to integrate conservation and development activities – from water extraction to water management – at the local level; making communities aware and involving them fully is, therefore, critical for success.

The “conventional” sources of water such as rainfall, snow-melt, and river runoff captured in lakes, rivers, and aquifers are no longer sufficient to meet human demands in water-scarce areas. The 6th SDG aims at aimed at ensuring the  availability of clean water for current and future generations but this is in direct conflict with  it. 

Desalinisation – Prospects and Challenges

Niti Aayog is working on a plan to exploit India’s vast coastline and its marine waters by desalinating seawater and supplying it to population centers via a network of pipelines. The plan is to set up floating desalination plants in marine waters under India’s command or set up plants along the country’s 7,800-km coastline. (Up to 12 Nautical Miles – Exclusive Economic Zone of India). 

Desalination is the process through which seawater is converted into potable water.

• Mostly with the advancements in technology the  cost of desalination will come down  eventually.
• It can meet the  present water requirement  and the looming disaster.
• Using saline drainage  water offers potential commercial, social and environmental gains . Reject brine has been used for aquaculture, with increases in fish biomass of 300 percent achieved.
• India  is a water-hungry nation and with 57% area drought-prone  it is wise to utilize the abundant resource.
• India has a l ong coastline of 7500 km  which is a huge amount of Seawater. Which is a huge potential for India?
• There is an  increase in the temperature  of this zone of the sea, together they  decrease the dissolved oxygen level , which is called  hypoxia,  and that impacts the aquatic life in that zone.
• Hypoxia often leads to the formation of Dead Zones in the oceans. These zones have quadrupled since 1950, mainly as a result of climate change. Now the  excess salt is adding  to these problems.
• Since  brine is denser than seawater,  it sinks to the seafloor and disrupts vibrant communities of life, which find themselves wanting far less salt and far more oxygen.
• Fossil fuels are used to produce the energy required for the processing of seawater. This contributes to global warming.
• Compounding the problem is the ongoing expansion of desalination as more and more countries turn to the technology in the face of climate change which is exacerbating water shortages.

Closing Comments

• Due to the relatively high economic costs, desalination is currently concentrated in high income and developed countries.
• There is a  need to make desalination technologies more affordable  and extend them to low income and lower-middle-income countries, increasing the viability of desalination for  addressing SDG 6 in areas  that developments have previously been limited by high economic costs.
• To do this,  technological refinement for low environmental impacts and economic costs , along with innovative financial mechanisms to support the sustainability of desalination schemes, will likely be required. 

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Daily Current Affairs for UPSC Exam 2024, Today’s Current Affairs

Current Affairs 2023: StudyIQ offers Best Daily Current Affairs Today, Latest News, GK Updates for UPSC Exam. Read Daily Current Affairs for UPSC Prelims and Mains Exam

Current Affairs for UPSC 2024

Welcome to the  StudyIQ Current Affairs website, which provides the best compilation of the Daily Current Affairs 2024 for the UPSC IAS exam taking place across the globe: National, International, Sports, Environment, Science and Technology, Economy, Agreement, Appointments, Summits, Ranks, Reports and General Studies. By providing you with the best learning materials, StudyIQ has been India’s best platform for helping you attain your full knowledge and learning potential.

UPSC Current Affairs 2024

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• Editorial of the Day (16th Aug): AI Governance August 16, 2024 Context The rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has not only transformed industries but also raised critical questions about corporate governance, particularly in the tech sector. Shareholder Primacy vs. Stakeholder Benefit Traditional Corporate Governance: In capitalistic and neo-capitalistic economies, corporate governance has traditionally favoured shareholder primacy, where profit generation and wealth creation for ... Read More
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• Japan issues its first-ever Megaquake Warning-Nankai Trough Zone August 13, 2024 Context: Japan’s meteorological agency issued its first-ever Megaquake advisory. Nankai Trough Zone It is a 900 km long underwater subduction zone where the Eurasian Plate collides with the Philippines sea plate pushing the latter under the former and into the Earth’s mantle. It lies in the Pacific Ocean Location: It runs from Shizuoka, west ... Read More
• Hindenburg Report on SEBI, Background and Key Allegations August 13, 2024 Hindenburg Research intensified its conflict with SEBI and its chief, Madhabi Puri Buch. The new allegations raise concerns about a potential conflict of interest. Hindenburg alleged that Buch and her husband had hidden stakes in the same offshore Bermuda and Mauritius funds linked to Vinod Adani. Supreme Court application seeks conclusion ... Read More
• Paris Olympics 2024, India at the Olympics Medals 2024 August 13, 2024 The Paris Olympics 2024 is gearing up to be an extraordinary event, marked by high expectations, significant risks, and the promise of historic achievements. Hosting the Olympics for the third time, after 1900 and 1924, Paris aims to deliver a unique and memorable experience. With India sending its largest-ever contingent, ... Read More
• Famous Temples of India, List of All Temples in India 2024 August 13, 2024 India’s rich tapestry of spirituality and culture is vividly reflected in its numerous temples, each representing a unique blend of architectural brilliance and religious significance. For UPSC aspirants, understanding these temples is essential, as questions related to them often appear in General Studies papers, especially in the context of Indian ... Read More

Daily Prelims Current Affairs 2024

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Daily Practice Quiz

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Latest Current Affairs For UPSC

All government examinations place a heavy emphasis on Current Affairs. One must thoroughly prepare for this area if one wants to ensure their pick with a wide margin. Your awareness and level of curiosity are put to the test in the Current Affairs area. Not only will having a basic awareness of Current Affairs help you land a job, but it will also help you advance in your career. For daily Latest Current Affairs updates, visit StudyIQ Current Affairs. This article will give you a comprehensive overview of current affairs preparation strategies that you can use to ace your forthcoming banking examinations. You can check the Latest Current Affairs Topics on a daily basis and read them in detail from the link given above.

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StudyIQ is one of India’s best current affairs for  UPSC CSE/IAS, UPSC EPFO, and State PSC like UPPSC, RPSC, BPSC, MPSC, MPPSC etc., and other state civil services/government job recruitment examinations in India.

Daily Current Affairs 2024

Get a daily dose of the most latest current events here before anyone else! When preparing for exams, it is always essential to review the Daily Current Affairs 2024 subjects to stay current on the relevant GK changes. Through the link provided above, you can refer to Daily Current Affairs 2024 articles daily with detailed information.

Current Affairs For UPSC Prelims 2024

The Current Affairs are summarized after reviewing a variety of sources, including daily newspapers, PIB compilations, RSTV discussions, and official publications like Yojana and Kurukshetra. As CSE Prelims become more dynamic, it is crucial to match the static component with the most recent news. Recent developments have convinced us that a conceptual grasp of the subject is required. When the student matches the UPSC prelims preparation with the UPSC syllabus, the procedure is made simpler. We at Study IQ are here to assist you since we are experts at meeting the demand for UPSC Prelims Question papers. The Study IQ Current Affairs UPSC Prelims series was created with the ever-changing test format in mind.

Daily Current Affairs for UPSC

The above-mentioned current affairs study guides will be beneficial for getting ready for the upcoming exam. Any exam that will be given in 2024 requires knowledge of the 1-year current affairs at the very least. In order to learn about the most recent subjects, candidates might consult the following current affairs: national and international awards, the economy, rankings and reports, summits and conferences, current banking sector news, agreements, appointments, science, and government initiatives.

For their benefit, our team has put up a collection of the most significant news items in the form of a PDF. Download the Hindi and English PDFs for the monthly general awareness exam. The expert team of Study IQ is preparing is summarise the UPSC Current Affairs 2024 in 4 sections:

• Daily Current Affairs
• Weekly Current Affairs
• Monthly Current Affairs
• Daily Current Affairs UPSC Quiz

Why StudyIQ for Current Affairs for the UPSC IAS Exam?

StudyIQ is a well-known online resource that offers thorough study guides, virtual classrooms, practice examinations, and other tools for a variety of competitive exams in India, including UPSC, State PSC, etc. StudyIQ is a popular option for many hopefuls because it provides a number of advantages when it comes to current affairs. The following sections are included in the Current Affairs:

National Current Affairs 2024

News about politics and government, national security, the judiciary, Indian art, culture, and heritage, social issues, and social justice, as well as studies, surveys, reports, index plans, and policy defence, are the key topics covered by the National Current Affairs. The best compilation of daily current affairs of national importance is available on the current affairs website, including national, science and technology, banking, economy, agreements, appointments, ranks, reports, and general studies. Current Events One of the most well-liked websites for UPSC in India is Study IQ.

International Current Affairs 2024

Current events in international relations, India and its bilateral relations, international organizations, international trade and treaties, reports, surveys, and indexes of bilateral, regional, and international groupings, the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the World Health Organization, and many other topics are covered.

Economic Related Current Affairs 2024

The Indian economy, infrastructure, financial and banking awareness, agriculture and allied industries, labour & employment, organizations survey, and index are all updated in this. Plan, budget, policy, and education. Current events pertaining to the Indian banking, industry, agriculture, and finance sectors. These updates are appropriate for all Indian competitive exams. Not only for the competitive exam but also for the interview, this is the best location to obtain quick information on the Latest Economic and finance Current Affairs 2024 and happenings.

Science and Tech-Related Current Affairs 2024

New technologies, biotechnology, health, and global diseases are all covered in this sector of current affairs. Current events in science and technology as of 2024 Visit Current Affairs Study IQ to read the most recent Science & Technology Current Affairs Updates for 2024. For both the competitive exam and the interview, this is the best source to acquire quick updates on the most recent science and technology current affairs and happenings.

Government Schemes Related Current Affairs 2024

With Study IQ’s up-to-date current affairs on government committees and schemes, you can stay ahead in government exams. You can find the best collection of Current Affairs and news about Government Committees and Schemes at Study IQ. Discover the most current and pertinent Current Affairs regarding government committees and schemes, UPSC, and other government bodies.

Tips for Preparing UPSC Current Affairs

• To understand the questions in the exams, candidates must first look at the questions from the previous year. What should be read in newspapers will be determined by last year’s queries.
• Consistency is necessary for the GA segment; daily newspaper reading is required.
• Keep concise records of significant news.
• The notes should be revised on a regular basis.
• Another strategy is to keep up with the news or current affairs
• YouTube channels to stay up-to-date on current events.
• You can read monthly magazines that are offered by different institutions if you don’t have time to read everyday current affairs. These periodicals can be found online and in PDF format.
• Testing your preparation on a regular basis is crucial. Use quizzes to study for the tests you want to pass.

All government exams have a significant portion on current affairs. One must thoroughly prepare for this area to ensure their selection with a considerable margin. Your level of awareness and curiosity are evaluated in the current affairs section. Basic knowledge of current affairs can not only help you get a job, but it will also help you succeed in your career.

What are Current Affairs?

Current affairs refer to the most recent national and international news.

Where Can I Find Daily Current Affairs?

StudyIQ platform keeps you updated by providing you with daily current affairs with relevant data.

What is best for current affairs?

The Hindu or The Indian Express are the largest English newspapers in India and are the best source for current affairs.

How do I update my current affairs?

Newspapers are considered to be the most effective and traditional way for the preparation for competitive exams.

Which is the No 1 current affairs website?

StudyIQ is India's top website for Daily Current Affairs for all competitive exam.

How can I get current affairs daily?

StudyIQ Current Affairs website which provides you with the best compilation of the Daily Current Affairs

Does StudyIQ provide Current Affairs PDF?

Yes, StudyIQ offers Daily, Weekly and Monthly current affairs PDFs.

What are the various sources of StudyIQ's current affairs?

The sources of StudyIQ's current affairs are Government websites, PIB, PRS, NewsOnAir, and Various newspapers like Hindu, Indian express, Economic Times and many more.

What aspects to cover while reading government schemes?

In Government Schemes candidates must read about the launched year, ministry, allotted amount, and features of the schemes.

How to cover the static portion in the context of current affairs?

Candidate should study the political, historical, economic, and cultural context of news and integrate it with the static portion of the syllabus.

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Opinion Guest Essay

Will We Have to Pump the Great Lakes to California to Feed the Nation?

Credit... Alma Haser

Supported by

By Jay Famiglietti

Dr. Famiglietti is a professor at Arizona State University and the director of science for the Arizona Water Innovation Initiative.

• Aug. 5, 2024

This essay is part of What to Eat on a Burning Planet, a series exploring bold ideas to secure our food supply. Read more about this project in a note from Eliza Barclay, Opinion’s climate editor.

Driving north through California’s Tejon Pass on Interstate 5, you spill down out of the mountains onto a breathtaking expanse of farm fields like few others in the world. Rows of almond, pistachio and citrus trees stretch as far as the eye can see, dotted by fields of grapes. Truckloads of produce zoom by, heading for markets around the country.

The Central Valley of California supplies a quarter of the food on the nation’s dinner tables. But beneath this image of plenty and abundance, a crisis is brewing — an invisible one, under our feet — and it is not limited to California.

Coast to coast, our food producing regions, especially those stretching from the southern Great Plains across the sunny, dry Southwest, rely heavily and sometimes exclusively on groundwater for irrigation. And it’s disappearing — fast.

What happens to the nation’s food production if the groundwater runs out altogether? Unless we act now, we could soon reach a point where water must be piped from the wetter parts of the country, such as the Great Lakes, to drier, sunnier regions where the bulk of the nation’s food is produced. No one wants unsightly pipelines snaking across the country, draining Lake Michigan to feed the citrus groves of the Central Valley. But that future is drawing closer by the day, and at some point, we may look back on this moment and wish we’d acted differently.

For over a century, America’s farmers have overpumped groundwater, and now, as the world warms and the Southwest becomes drier, the situation is only growing more dire. Rivers are slowing to a trickle, water tables are falling, land is sinking, and wells are drying up. Each year, roughly 25,000 more farmers fallow their fields, putting both food and water security in the United States at risk.

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Global Energy Crisis

How the energy crisis started, how global energy markets are impacting our daily life, and what governments are doing about it

• English English

What is the energy crisis?

Record prices, fuel shortages, rising poverty, slowing economies: the first energy crisis that's truly global.

Energy markets began to tighten in 2021 because of a variety of factors, including the extraordinarily rapid economic rebound following the pandemic. But the situation escalated dramatically into a full-blown global energy crisis following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The price of natural gas reached record highs, and as a result so did electricity in some markets. Oil prices hit their highest level since 2008. 

Higher energy prices have contributed to painfully high inflation, pushed families into poverty, forced some factories to curtail output or even shut down, and slowed economic growth to the point that some countries are heading towards severe recession. Europe, whose gas supply is uniquely vulnerable because of its historic reliance on Russia, could face gas rationing this winter, while many emerging economies are seeing sharply higher energy import bills and fuel shortages. While today’s energy crisis shares some parallels with the oil shocks of the 1970s, there are important differences. Today’s crisis involves all fossil fuels, while the 1970s price shocks were largely limited to oil at a time when the global economy was much more dependent on oil, and less dependent on gas. The entire word economy is much more interlinked than it was 50 years ago, magnifying the impact. That’s why we can refer to this as the first truly global energy crisis.

Some gas-intensive manufacturing plants in Europe have curtailed output because they can’t afford to keep operating, while in China some have simply had their power supply cut. In emerging and developing economies, where the share of household budgets spent on energy and food is already large, higher energy bills have increased extreme poverty and set back progress towards achieving universal and affordable energy access. Even in advanced economies, rising prices have impacted vulnerable households and caused significant economic, social and political strains.

Climate policies have been blamed in some quarters for contributing to the recent run-up in energy prices, but there is no evidence. In fact, a greater supply of clean energy sources and technologies would have protected consumers and mitigated some of the upward pressure on fuel prices.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine drove European and Asian gas prices to record highs

Evolution of key regional natural gas prices, june 2021-october 2022, what is causing it, disrupted supply chains, bad weather, low investment, and then came russia's invasion of ukraine.

Energy prices have been rising since 2021 because of the rapid economic recovery, weather conditions in various parts of the world, maintenance work that had been delayed by the pandemic, and earlier decisions by oil and gas companies and exporting countries to reduce investments. Russia began withholding gas supplies to Europe in 2021, months ahead of its invasion of Ukraine. All that led to already tight supplies. Russia’s attack on Ukraine greatly exacerbated the situation . The United States and the EU imposed a series of sanctions on Russia and many European countries declared their intention to phase out Russian gas imports completely. Meanwhile, Russia has increasingly curtailed or even turned off its export pipelines. Russia is by far the world’s largest exporter of fossil fuels, and a particularly important supplier to Europe. In 2021, a quarter of all energy consumed in the EU came from Russia. As Europe sought to replace Russian gas, it bid up prices of US, Australian and Qatari ship-borne liquefied natural gas (LNG), raising prices and diverting supply away from traditional LNG customers in Asia. Because gas frequently sets the price at which electricity is sold, power prices soared as well. Both LNG producers and importers are rushing to build new infrastructure to increase how much LNG can be traded internationally, but these costly projects take years to come online. Oil prices also initially soared as international trade routes were reconfigured after the United States, many European countries and some of their Asian allies said they would no longer buy Russian oil. Some shippers have declined to carry Russian oil because of sanctions and insurance risk. Many large oil producers were unable to boost supply to meet rising demand – even with the incentive of sky-high prices – because of a lack of investment in recent years. While prices have come down from their peaks, the outlook is uncertain with new rounds of European sanctions on Russia kicking in later this year.

What is being done?

Pandemic hangovers and rising interest rates limit public responses, while some countries turn to coal.

Some governments are looking to cushion the blow for customers and businesses, either through direct assistance, or by limiting prices for consumers and then paying energy providers the difference. But with inflation in many countries well above target and budget deficits already large because of emergency spending during the Covid-19 pandemic, the scope for cushioning the impact is more limited than in early 2020. Rising inflation has triggered increases in short-term interest rates in many countries, slowing down economic growth. Europeans have rushed to increase gas imports from alternative producers such as Algeria, Norway and Azerbaijan. Several countries have resumed or expanded the use of coal for power generation, and some are extending the lives of nuclear plants slated for de-commissioning. EU members have also introduced gas storage obligations, and agreed on voluntary targets to cut gas and electricity demand by 15% this winter through efficiency measures, greater use of renewables, and support for efficiency improvements. To ensure adequate oil supplies, the IEA and its members responded with the two largest ever releases of emergency oil stocks. With two decisions – on 1 March 2022 and 1 April – the IEA coordinated the release of some 182 million barrels of emergency oil from public stocks or obligated stocks held by industry. Some IEA member countries independently released additional public stocks, resulting in a total of over 240 million barrels being released between March and November 2022.

The IEA has also published action plans to cut oil use with immediate impact, as well as plans for how Europe can reduce its reliance on Russian gas and how common citizens can reduce their energy consumption . The invasion has sparked a reappraisal of energy policies and priorities, calling into question the viability of decades of infrastructure and investment decisions, and profoundly reorientating international energy trade. Gas had been expected to play a key role in many countries as a lower-emitting "bridge" between dirtier fossil fuels and renewable energies. But today’s crisis has called into question natural gas’ reliability.

The current crisis could accelerate the rollout of cleaner, sustainable renewable energy such as wind and solar, just as the 1970s oil shocks spurred major advances in energy efficiency, as well as in nuclear, solar and wind power. The crisis has also underscored the importance of investing in robust gas and power network infrastructure to better integrate regional markets. The EU’s RePowerEU, presented in May 2022 and the United States’ Inflation Reduction Act , passed in August 2022, both contain major initiatives to develop energy efficiency and promote renewable energies. 

The global energy crisis can be a historic turning point

Energy saving tips

1. Heating: turn it down

Lower your thermostat by just 1°C to save around 7% of your heating energy and cut an average bill by EUR 50-70 a year. Always set your thermostat as low as feels comfortable, and wear warm clothes indoors. Use a programmable thermostat to set the temperature to 15°C while you sleep and 10°C when the house is unoccupied. This cuts up to 10% a year off heating bills. Try to only heat the room you’re in or the rooms you use regularly.

The same idea applies in hot weather. Turn off air-conditioning when you’re out. Set the overall temperature 1 °C warmer to cut bills by up to 10%. And only cool the room you’re in.

2. Boiler: adjust the settings

Default boiler settings are often higher than you need. Lower the hot water temperature to save 8% of your heating energy and cut EUR 100 off an average bill.  You may have to have the plumber come once if you have a complex modern combi boiler and can’t figure out the manual. Make sure you follow local recommendations or consult your boiler manual. Swap a bath for a shower to spend less energy heating water. And if you already use a shower, take a shorter one. Hot water tanks and pipes should be insulated to stop heat escaping. Clean wood- and pellet-burning heaters regularly with a wire brush to keep them working efficiently.

3. Warm air: seal it in

Close windows and doors, insulate pipes and draught-proof around windows, chimneys and other gaps to keep the warm air inside. Unless your home is very new, you will lose heat through draughty doors and windows, gaps in the floor, or up the chimney. Draught-proof these gaps with sealant or weather stripping to save up to EUR 100 a year. Install tight-fitting curtains or shades on windows to retain even more heat. Close fireplace and chimney openings (unless a fire is burning) to stop warm air escaping straight up the chimney. And if you never use your fireplace, seal the chimney to stop heat escaping.

4. Lightbulbs: swap them out

Replace old lightbulbs with new LED ones, and only keep on the lights you need. LED bulbs are more efficient than incandescent and halogen lights, they burn out less frequently, and save around EUR 10 a year per bulb. Check the energy label when buying bulbs, and aim for A (the most efficient) rather than G (the least efficient). The simplest and easiest way to save energy is to turn lights off when you leave a room.

5. Grab a bike

Walking or cycling are great alternatives to driving for short journeys, and they help save money, cut emissions and reduce congestion. If you can, leave your car at home for shorter journeys; especially if it’s a larger car. Share your ride with neighbours, friends and colleagues to save energy and money. You’ll also see big savings and health benefits if you travel by bike. Many governments also offer incentives for electric bikes.

6. Use public transport

For longer distances where walking or cycling is impractical, public transport still reduces energy use, congestion and air pollution. If you’re going on a longer trip, consider leaving your car at home and taking the train. Buy a season ticket to save money over time. Your workplace or local government might also offer incentives for travel passes. Plan your trip in advance to save on tickets and find the best route.

7. Drive smarter

Optimise your driving style to reduce fuel consumption: drive smoothly and at lower speeds on motorways, close windows at high speeds and make sure your tires are properly inflated. Try to take routes that avoid heavy traffic and turn off the engine when you’re not moving. Drive 10 km/h slower on motorways to cut your fuel bill by around EUR 60 per year. Driving steadily between 50-90 km/h can also save fuel. When driving faster than 80 km/h, it’s more efficient to use A/C, rather than opening your windows. And service your engine regularly to maintain energy efficiency.

Analysis and forecast to 2026

Fuel report — December 2023

Europe’s energy crisis: Understanding the drivers of the fall in electricity demand

Commentary — 09 May 2023

Where things stand in the global energy crisis one year on

Commentary — 23 February 2023

The global energy crisis pushed fossil fuel consumption subsidies to an all-time high in 2022

Commentary — 16 February 2023

Fossil Fuels Consumption Subsidies 2022

Policy report — February 2023

Background note on the natural gas supply-demand balance of the European Union in 2023

Report — February 2023

Analysis and forecast to 2025

Fuel report — December 2022

How to Avoid Gas Shortages in the European Union in 2023

A practical set of actions to close a potential supply-demand gap

Flagship report — December 2022

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Make Your Note

World Water Day, 2024

• 22 Mar 2024
• 22 min read
• GS Paper - 3
• Environmental Pollution & Degradation
• GS Paper - 1
• Water Resources
• Conservation of Resources
• GS Paper - 2
• Government Policies & Interventions

This editorial is based on “Water, an instrument to build world peace” which was published in The Hindu on 22/03/2024. The article delves into World Water Day 2024, exploring the importance of enhanced water security, sustainable agricultural practices, and environmental preservation.

For Prelims: World Water Week , Jal Jeevan Mission , Accelerated Rural Water Supply Scheme , Panchayati Raj Institutions , Har Ghar Jal program , Central Pollution Control Board , United Nations , SDGs , Water conference, Jal Kranti Abhiyan , National Water Mission , National Rural Drinking Water Programme , NITI Aayog Composite Water Management Index , Jal Shakti Abhiyan , Atal Bhujal Yojana.

For Mains: Issues of Global Water Scarcity, Steps Taken to Address the Challenges.

World Water Day , which falls on March 22, is a global initiative backed by the United Nations, and has been observed every year since 1993. Under different themes, the attempt has been to raise awareness among stakeholders about the importance of freshwater. As everyone knows, there was a time when clean water was available in wells, ponds, streams, rivers and other sources, but the situation is vastly different now. There is a problem of water availability with respect to quantity or quality, which manifests itself in the form of water scarcity or crisis.

Throughout history, water has been a pivotal resource for some of the greatest civilisations such as those that arose around the Indus, the Nile, the Tigris and the Euphrates. But it is also true that in these civilisations, conflicts arose on account of this resource, like the well documented tensions between the Mesopotamian cities of Lagash and Umma. This conflict, one of the oldest known wars in human history, centered around a fertile piece of land and water resources.

• March 22, 2024, is the 31st World Water Day, with the theme, “Leveraging water for peace”. Under the ‘World Water Assessment Programme’, UNESCO led the development of the 2024 edition of the flagship United Nations World Water Development Report, “Water for Prosperity and Peace” as a part of UN Water (an interagency coordination mechanism on water and sanitation of 35 UN entities along with 48 other international partners).

What is World Water Day?

• Aim : The Day aims to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.
• Theme: The theme for 2024 is “Water for Peace”
• The idea for this international day goes back to 1992, the year in which the UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro took place.
• That same year, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution by which 22nd March of each year was declared World Day for Water, to be observed starting in 1993.
• Later on, other celebrations and events were added. For instance, the International Year of Cooperation in the Water Sphere 2013, and the current International Decade for Action on Water for Sustainable Development, 2018-2028.
• The day's intention is to inspire people around the world to learn more about water-related issues and to take action to make a difference.
• While water covers almost 70% of the planet, freshwater only amounts to about 3% of it, out of which two-thirds is frozen or inaccessible and unavailable for use.
• These observances serve to reaffirm that water and sanitation measures are key to poverty reduction, economic growth, and environmental sustainability.

Other Important Days :

• 22 April: Earth Day
• 22 May: World Biodiversity Day

What are the Different Aspects of Water Crisis Witnessed in India?

• The water crisis can be classified as either physical or economic, stemming from a variety of factors including rapid urbanization, industrialization, unsustainable agricultural methods, climate change, unpredictable rainfall patterns, excessive water consumption.
• Apart from those, inefficient water management, pollution, insufficient infrastructure, a lack of stakeholder engagement, and runoff exacerbated by heavy rainfall, soil erosion, and sediment buildup also play significant role. Water scarcity disrupts ecosystem functions, jeopardizes food and water security, and ultimately impacts peace.
• In India, water availability is already low enough to be categorised as water stressed, and is expected to reduce further to 1341m3 by 2025 and 1140m3 by 2050. Also, 72% of all water withdrawals are for use in agriculture, 16% by municipalities for households and services, and 12% by industries.
• In contrast, in Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, it is 77%, 74%. 67%, 57%, and 53%, respectively. Most perennial rivers/streams now have intermittent flows or have run dry. In most areas after April-May, there is Less water availability even for drinking and other uses.
• Springs in India’s hilly areas are almost dry. In India, the total number of water bodies is 5,56,601 whose irrigation potential covered 62,71,180 hectares. But, due to a lack of or inappropriate catchment treatment measures, bad design and poor maintenance of water bodies, most of the reservoirs/waterbodies/wetlands have silted up, resulting in reduced storage capacity and lower efficacy.
• There is a lack of proper surface and groundwater management. Rainfed regions in India which comprise over 48% of land area produces nearly 45% of the gross agricultural product.
• In this scenario, it is mandated to adopt a comprehensive and synchronized localist interventions tailored to the needs of different regions and States that provides equal emphasis on all aspects of water usage and conservation.
• For example, here in India, the monsoon has become erratic over the years and brings with it major uncertainties for agriculture, which lies at the heart of India’s USD 3 trillion economy.
• Age and Gender are the foremost reason for discrimination when it comes to accessing clean water. Women and Children are the worst affected population. In fact, children are more vulnerable to diseases due to dirty water.
• Environmental degradation, climate change, population growth, conflict, forced displacement and migration are also some reasons due to which marginalized groups of society suffer.
• The urban agglomeration witnessed from the 1990s has severely impacted SWBs, turning many of them into dumping grounds. The Standing Committee on Water Resources (2012-13) underlined in its 16th report that most of the water bodies in the country were encroached upon by State agencies themselves.

What are the Different Steps Required for Mitigating the Water Crisis?

• A large amount of India’s food grains is from the rainfed region. The Government lays stress on having a judicious mix of ‘traditional indigenous and new technologies to improve soil health and conserve water’ and pitched for the efficient use of every drop of water. Hence, paying attention to these points is important.
• Enhancing water availability with respect to quantity and quality and blue and green water is vital since water is more than just a basic human right. Water is also an instrument of peace-building and enhances the overall quality of life. Promoting sustainable agricultural production, ensuring water security and maintaining environmental integrity are increasingly becoming important issues.
• Water Crisis mitigation can be made possible by adopting different resource conservation measures in general and rainwater harvesting (in-situ and ex-situ) and ensuring roof top rainwater harvesting in particular.
• Rain water harvesting (RWH) enables resilience against water scarcity and drought by augmenting recharge and aiding irrigation. The optimum use of surface water by large-scale RWH structures, conjunctive use with groundwater And safe reuse of waste water are the only viable solutions to boost and maintain the current level of food grain production.
• There is the need for a protocol of the revival of ponds/waterbodies. To tackle all these problems there is a great need to study the condition of every waterbody, its water availability, water quality and the state of ecosystem services it supports. There is a need also to create more waterbodies and their revival in every village by looking into the catchment-storage-command area of each waterbody.
• The shared recognition that water is a vital resource, with limitations in quality and availability, necessitates collaborative governance to ensure effective and equitable water allocation among nations, fostering regional stability and peace, and an understanding of the intricate relationships between water, climate, and international stability.
• Water diplomacy also requires inclusive approaches, acknowledging the indigenous and local communities’ extensive cross-border networks, as well as involving civil society and academic networks, who can also play an important role in facilitating political processes to prevent, mitigate, and resolve water-related disputes.
• With improved water accessibility, these differences can be erased, and increased water investments in the rural areas have the potential for returning positive outcomes - in health, education and employment, not to mention basic human needs and dignity.
• In the agrarian sector, the efficient use of emerging artificial intelligence (AI) technology in the conservation of water, ranging from tackling crop and food loss, to minimising chemicals and fertilizers, and saving water, is starting to show that outputs that are both productive and sustainable can be enabled.
• And, yet, in the South Asian region, the extent of water pollution has worsened considerably in recent years, especially the Meghna, Brahmaputra, Ganga and Indus.
• To solve these problems, the world needs a sophisticated form of cross-border water governance, promoting effective and equitable water allocation among nations that share water resources.
• India has a vast network of small water bodies like ponds, lakes, and tanks, which play a vital role in recharging groundwater and providing water for irrigation. The 5th Minor Irrigation Census mentions that India has a total of 6.42 lakh small water bodies. Due to lack of proper maintenance, their storage capacity has been declining.
• As a result, the irrigated area of tanks has declined sharply from 45.61 lakh hectares in 1960-61 to 16.68 lakh hectares in 2019-20. By restoring and maintaining these small water bodies, India can help conserve water and improve the availability of water in nearby communities.
• The pricing of water use;
• Having a circular water economy;
• Ensuring efficient irrigation techniques such as integrating water resources with micro-irrigations systems and IOT based automation; having integrated water resource management;
• Installing water meters to reduce water use for domestic purposes;
• No free electricity, having a convergence and linkages of line departments;
• Fostering community awareness and peoples’ participation, awareness campaigns about water conservation;
• Ensuring groundwater use neutrality;
• Land neutrality, growing low water requirement crops;
• Optimal crop plan having integrated farming system models;
• Building resilience against climate change and ensuring the needs of a growing population by adopting an integrated and inclusive approach to manage water which is a finite resource;
• Reducing losses from water distribution systems, and ensuring safe wastewater reuse, desalination and appropriate water allocation, tubewell/borewell development;
• Enabling the integration and collaboration of research, industry and academia to implement different developed and new technologies.

What Are the Different Initiatives to Promote Water Conservation?

• The United Nations Water Conference (1977), the International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade (1981-1990), the International Conference on Water and the Environment (1992) and the Earth Summit (1992) - all focused on the vital resource, Water.
• The 'Water for Life' International Decade for Action 2005-2015 helped around 1.3 billion people in developing countries gain access to safe drinking water and drove progress on sanitation as part of the effort to meet the Millennium Development Goals.
• The most recent initiative is the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development that aims to ensure availability and sustainable management of water for all by the year 2030.
• Swachh Bharat Mission
• Jal Jeevan Mission
• Jal Kranti Abhiyan.
• National Water Mission.
• National Rural Drinking Water Programme.
• NITI Aayog Composite Water Management Index.
• Jal Shakti Abhiyan.
• Atal Bhujal Yojana
• National Water Policy, 2012
• Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana
• Per Drop More Crop

Since time immemorial, world has made significant progress in fostering peace; however, if freshwater runs scarce, it threatens our collective well-being and peace. This is also crucial for the 2030 Agenda and achieving the SDGs. Through transboundary cooperation and other interventions on the sustainable management of water, world can realise benefits across various sectors including health, food and energy security, protection from natural disasters, education, improved living standards, employment, economic development, and numerous ecosystem services.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ)

Q. With reference to ‘Water Credit’, consider the following statements: (2021)

• It puts microfinance tools to work in the water and sanitation sector.
• It is a global initiative launched under the aegis of the World Health Organisation and the World Bank.
• It aims to enable the poor people to meet their water needs without depending on subsidies.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only  (c) 1 and 3 only  (d) 1, 2 and 3

Q1. What are the salient features of the Jal Shakti Abhiyan launched by the Government of India for water conservation and water security? (2020)

Q2. Suggest measures to improve water storage and irrigation system to make its judicious use under the depleting scenario. (2020)

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