Water Scarcity in India: Impact, Causes, and Governmental Initiatives

This essay discusses the impact of water scarcity on India's development, its causes, and governmental initiatives to address the issue. It also highlights the steps needed to be taken to combat water scarcity.

Water Scarcity in India
Introduction
Water is the most vital constituent of this world, without which any form of life
cannot survive. Less than 3% of Earth’s total water cover is Freshwater, which is the major
source of potable water, and is availed for human consumption (Holland, et al., 2015).
However, due to the imbalance between water supply and demand, many places on earth
have water scarcity, which is projected as the largest global risk which would affect the world
in the near future. Water scarcity can be either physical, which means that there is an
inadequacy of natural water sources in the area causing a water crisis, or can be economic,
which means that there in an inadequacy in managing water distribution from the available
sources, thereby creating a water supply and demand mismatch. Both types of scarcity affect
life very badly, causing a deficit of drinking water, sanitation issues, poor crop management,
and conflicts over water.
India, having the world’s second largest population, faces the problem of water
scarcity in varying intensities owing to a diverse geography and unequal distribution of
resources (Mekonnen & Hoekstra, 2016). However, much of India’s water problems are
economic, caused by poor management and exploitation of the available water resources for
capital gains. Lack of sanitation, the increasing burden of overpopulation, and poor waste
disposal management has caused pollution of the water bodies, due to garbage and chemical
wastes being dumped into lakes and rivers. Lack of proper toilets and a stigma associated
with having a toilet at homes leads to many people defecating in the open near water bodies,
leading to contamination of water. The same water being used for utility purposes had led to
increasing water borne diseases and severe health issues (Kumar, Kar, & Jain, 2011).
In this essay, the impact of water scarcity on the development of India as a nation is
discussed. The possible causes of water scarcity, its current standing, and the steps necessary
to take action on the issue in future are also analysed.
Indian Geo-politics and Water Scarcity
The landform of India can be divided into six major regions – the mountainous region
of the north, The Indo-Gangetic fertile plains, the peninsular plateau of the centre, the desert
regions of the west, the coastal plains of the south, and the island bodies. The water
distribution, utility, and management vary with each geographic area, even though these areas
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are geo-politically varied (Khadse, Labhasetwar, & Wate, 2012). For example, the Indo-
Gangetic plains utilize much of the water resource for irrigation purposes, as the land is
fertile for perennial agriculture. The coastal plains utilize much of the available water for
drinking and industrial purposes, as most major cities in India are located near the coasts.
There is a continuing pattern of erratic rainfall, floods, and droughts, and improper
management of water during abundance leads to unavailability of water during low rainfall
and summer regions. Improper water management has led to long standing conflicts between
states sharing a common water source, and this factor has been a key factor for making or
breaking governments (Zeitoun & Mirumachi, 2008).
Indian Agriculture and Water Scarcity
Most of India is an agrarian society, with more than half the overall population
employed in the agriculture sector. Agriculture contributes to more than 18% of India’s total
economy, but is seen to be declining (Gulati, Jain, & Satija, 2014). This mandates the
perennial availability of water in order to sustain the economy. However, water scarcity is a
huge looming issue amidst the farmers, even in fertile plains. This reflects on the poor water
management by the respective state governments that govern the geographical plain areas.
There are many other factors contributing to poor water management in agrarian areas,
including uncontrolled population which pulls more water resources for consumption,
improper crop selection by farmers choosing to harvest high water consuming crops in water
stressed areas, increased illegal consumption of water by corporate companies and housing
societies that lead to less water availability for agriculture, illegal sand mining, water
pollution, and unwanted damming of rivers (Mollinga, 2008).
The impact of water Scarcity in India
Water scarcity has caused a lot of negative impacts in the Indian society. To name a
few, it is attributed as a main cause of diminishing agricultural yields, resulting in lesser
people returning to the profession every season, and increasing farmer suicides in India
(Mohanty, 2013). The economy of a political entity is grossly affected if the citizens are not
in good health. Deficit of Freshwater due to illegal encroachments of lakes and rivers has
caused the unavailability of potable water to the citizens, leading to an increase in water-
borne diseases. This leads to food insecurity, unemployment, and migration of people to
greener pastures, negatively impacting the state’s economy. Water scarcity has a serious
impact on wildlife as well, and there have been reported instances of deaths of wild flora and
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fauna due to unavailability of water in even in reserve forest areas (Molle, Venot, Lannerstad,
& Hoogesteger, 2010). Water stress leads to over-drafting of groundwater, thus upsetting the
water table. This can pose serious consequences, leading to collapse of land, furthermore
lowering of the water table, reducing water quality, and upsetting the water-cycle, thus
causing an imbalance in water precipitation and rainfall.
Lesser water would mean higher valuation on it, making the customer bear the
increasing costs. If subsidized by the government, it causes even lesser amount of water being
rationed to the citizens, and the costs to negatively reflect on the economy. This would
increase the prices of all commodities and utilities, causing lesser and lesser people being
able to afford them. The gap of economical inequality would widen, resulting in a huge rich-
poor divide. Regional conflicts over a water source might turn into full scale wars, ultimately
affecting the people. The country or state might not be able to support new businesses; it
cannot attract investors, and it stands to lose in terms of economic gains. The government
would have to spend most of its funds on water, and with diminishing returns, the economy
would seriously be at stake (Hoekstra, Mekonnen, Chapagain, Mathews, & Richter, 2012).
Governmental Initiatives to address Water Scarcity
To combat the growing crisis of water scarcity, the Indian Governments through the
ages have formulated many plans, schemes, and policies that cater to water distribution and
management. The “National Water Policy”, which was formed in 1987, works on
establishing a standard information system, mandating water resource planning and recycling,
to regulate any exploitation of groundwater and water sources, prioritizing water distribution
by its usage and rationing of water accordingly. Setting up of regulatory bodies to ensure
access of water to all citizens, and managing the ecological balance of rivers was also
proposed. In 2005, “Bharath Nirman” was launched, to ensure proper rural infrastructure,
including adequate drinking water and sanitation facilities (Government of India, 2012). The
“National Water Mission” was formulated in 2012, focusing on improving water efficiency
and restoring the water balance in vulnerable areas (Ministry of Water Resources, 2012). The
2014 scheme “Swacch Bharath Abhiyan” focuses on eliminating open defecation, thus
reducing water pollution ( Swachh Bharat Abhiyan , 2014). In Individual States, Tamilnadu
implemented a compulsory rain-water harvesting scheme in 2001, which enabled the water
stress landform of the state see a rise in water levels post-implementation (Directorate of
Town Panchayats, Tamilnadu, 2001). While most schemes are announced with a good intent,
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a few are completed, as many are stopped midway due to lack of resources, misappropriation
of funds, corruption, changing governments, calamities, and so on.
Steps needed to be taken
The responsibility of combating water scarcity rests with the people’s issue as much
as with the government. It is the duty of every person to ensure that he/she does not use water
unnecessarily, waste water, pollute or encroach water bodies, and that he/she contributes to
saving water as much as possible. Extravagant expenses and wastage of water in weddings,
parties, public functions must be stopped. Rainwater harvesting and Sewage treatment plants
must be installed in all houses to ensure that any water that has gone down the drain goes
back to the system. Acquiring knowledge on water scarcity and spreading awareness to all
must be taken up as an initiative to promote proper water management. In the bigger picture,
strict measures must be taken on population control and resource management, so that one
does not suffer does not suffer in the long run.
Conclusion
The issue of water scarcity is not limited to the areas that suffer from it, but the entire
world at large. In India, it is essential to tackle the issue on a war footing, as there is a stiff
competition for resources even though the population growth is stabilizing. Both the
government at the centre and the individual state governments have an equal share in
ensuring adequate water to each of its citizen’s, despite political differences. If the people of
the land are educated enough on the economic scarcity of water, they can voice their concerns
to the authorities in power, who would consider taking the necessary actions if the perceive
their inaction to be a threat to their political power. Combat water scarcity in an organized
way would ensure that the economy of the country does not decline, while showing a positive
impact on the affected sectors. It is indeed imperative that the nation stands united in this
issue.
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