India's Water Crisis: Causes, Impacts, and Solutions for Marathwada

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of India's water crisis, with a specific focus on the semi-arid Marathwada region. It begins by outlining the severe drought conditions and the resulting water scarcity, explaining the impact on the local population and economic development. The report then delves into the reasons behind the water provision issues, including the reliance on non-perennial rivers and depleted groundwater resources. It assesses the current situation, highlighting the ecological risks and the impact on agriculture, particularly cash crops. The report further explores potential water management solutions, such as restricting water diversion, improving watershed development, and promoting underground water supply. It evaluates two types of water provisions: engineering techniques (side hill waterways, grassed water channels, etc.) and vegetative treatment (strip cropping, agroforestry). The report concludes with recommendations for improving water provision in the region, emphasizing funding, education, and irrigation development to combat the water crisis. The report uses multiple references to support the findings.

Running head: INDIA'S WATER CRISIS
INDIA'S WATER CRISIS
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Executive Summary
The report primarily focuses on the aspect of water provision in the semi arid region of
Marathwada by shedding light on the reasons behind the water scarcity pertaining to it. The
report further concentrates on the reasons behind the water provision and the impact on the lives
of the people living in those regions as well as the economic development of the semi arid
region. In addition to this, the paper offers an evaluation of two types of water provision as well
as suitable solutions to the issue related to water scarcity pertaining to the region.

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Assessment of Present Situation......................................................................................................3
Severe Drought Pertaining to the Marathwada Region...............................................................3
Discussion........................................................................................................................................4
Potential Water Management Solutions for Marathwada............................................................4
Two Types of Water Provisions in Marathwada Region.............................................................5
Recommendation to Improve Water Provision in the Region.....................................................6
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................7
References........................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction
The Deccan Plateau region in India has its extension from the south of the Narmada
River reaching to the Nilgiri as well as Palni Hills further surrounded by the mountain ranges of
Western and Eastern Ghats. The term ‘Deccan’ has its origin from the Sanskrit word called
dakshina implying ‘the south’ (Ferrant et al. 2014). The climatic condition of the Deccan Plateau
transforms from the semi-arid state to tropical in the majority parts of the plateau. It is
surrounded by ghats from the east and west regional surface. The report intend to focus on the
current situation of a semiarid region of the Deccan plateau along with its causes of problems
regarding water provision. In addition to it, the paper will compare the two form of water
provision in the particular region.
Assessment of Present Situation
Severe Drought Pertaining to the Marathwada Region
Certain regions in the Deccan Plateau such as the Marathwada region is considered as
drought-plagued areas because of its pertaining issues related to severe water scarcity. This area
is regarded as a non-coastal region whereby the Godavari River drains the entire region with its
other tributaries namely Purna, Shivna, Sindhphana which are considered as the primary
watercourses of the region (Ganguli and Reddy 2014). It has been noted that no other rivers
expect Godavari is a perennial river thus, carry very less water during summer seasons. The
major dams of the Godavari basin remain relatively dry because of lack of rainwater. As a result,
underground water sources with the surface water have been immensely influenced due to
rainfall shortage (den Besten, Pande and Savenije 2016). The issue related to water provision in
Marathwada region has driven major section of the region towards the subversive and

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underground bore well industry (den Besten, Pande and Savenije 2016). The scarcity of water
resource has posed several ecological risks as well as depletion in the ground water level catering
all administrative divisions. However, it must be taken into account that no less than 10 thousand
new bores have been constructed because of the shortage of water in this region (Guhathakurta
and Saji 2013). The significant cash crops of this region namely Jowar and Bajra, along with
several other food crops have severely been affected by this epidemic. However, this has led
thousands of farmers to lose their lives because of high indebts and no cultivation. The number
of casualties of cultivators have surpassed in 2016, where almost 1000 were killing themselves
every week (den Besten, Pande and Savenije 2016). This has been regarded as a national
outbreak in the country. The Marathwada region executes a decentralized water management
system whereby the local communities have an immense significance in the process of
development as well as management of water resources.
Discussion
Potential Water Management Solutions for Marathwada
The lack of Water Management Strategies has led the region experience greater rates of
water provision. Certain approaches must be implemented in order to combat with the increasing
rate of water crisis in this region.
 Restriction of westward water division originating from Bhima Basin to Konkan
region- This entire region faces immense lack of water management resulting to the
extraction of insufficient water supply of Bhima basin to the surplus region of Konkan
region (Pancholi, Lodha and Prakash 2015). As per reports of 2015, the hydrogenated
stations belonging to Bhivpuri and Khopoli consists more than 120 MCM of water (Nain

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et al. 2013). The water storage of Tata Dam duly belongs to the Bhima Basin which if
released can provide supply to Ujjaini reservoir and certain areas of Marathwada region
(Guhathakurta and Saji 2013). However, the state government to cope up the issues
regarding water provisions can effectively implement this redistribution of water supply.
 Growth and Improvement of Watershed As Well As Underground Water Supply:
Issues regarding absence of proper water governance, ineffective execution of watershed
development projects as well as inconsistent distribution of rainwater have been taken
into account for the appalling drought scenario of the Marathwada region (Guhathakurta
and Saji 2013). It has been believed that certain political approaches could have
effectively brought the situation into an improved state (Kulkarni, Gadgil and Patwardhan
2016). Productive measures of integrated marketing plan must be executed to curb the
exploitation and misuse resulted by the intermediaries (Pancholi, Lodha and Prakash
2015). An effective approach of judicious management system must be employed in
order to turn the Marathwada region into a more fertile and successful agricultural region.
Two Types of Water Provisions in Marathwada Region
(I) Engineering or Structural Techniques
 Side Hill Waterways or Similar Diversion Construction- As per Waikar and Nilawar
(2014), this technique implemented through engineering skills can characteristically
divide higher, lands suitable for cultivation from the urbane land below.
 Grassed Water Channel- Grassed waterways generally hold surplus water that has been
channelled by several outline structural patterns to a central down slope drainage system
of Marathwada region (Kulkarni, Gadgil and Patwardhan 2016).

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 Small Scale Terracing- It is regarded to the small platforms has irregular usage of
terracing on which plants can be planted.
 Contour Bunding or Ridges- These structural constructions can be built along the
outline of the water source as a division of the agricultural land outline either by stones or
by soil (Krishna et al.2013).
 Micro River Basin- The construction of Micro basins can be planned in pits or concave
shaped constructed in an outline across the inclined regions to control the rainfall
particularly in hydrated regions of Marathwada (Waikar, M.L. and Nilawar, A.P., 2014).
(II) Vegetative Treatment Evaluation
 Strip Cropping or Contour Cultivation- Traditional farming as well as tilling along the
outline barriers can be neglected for excess water flow and erosion.
 Living Barrier- According to Roy et al. (2014), barriers can be constructed to improve
plantation along the outline of the water resources and further preserve soil such as
contour hedgerow or grass strip farming.
 Adjustment and Modification of Agronomic Tradition of Farming- Improved and
superior quality plant placement with suitable crop rotation can be implemented in the
regions of Marathwada (Roy et al. 2014).
 Agro Forestry Practices- This form of afforestation can be effective to improve the
system of water provision in this region.
Recommendation to Improve Water Provision in the Region
In addition to this, the paper has offered few solutions in order to cope up the rising water
shortage in this region. India, for past several decades has been experiencing immense crisis of

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clean water or water for agricultural purposes. Few solutions such as funding, donating to the
rural regions, educating the underprivileged as well as development of irrigation process must be
taken into account to curb the pertaining issue of water crisis.
Conclusion
Therefore, from the above discussion it can be concluded that water provision in the semi
arid region of Marathwada has been a serious matter of concern in regards to agricultural,
climate change, economic growth as well as energy generation in both the regions. The report
has effectively evaluated the core reasons behind the water scarcity of Marathwada that has
resulted to the region to be a graveyard for several farmers because of immense epidemic and
minimal harvest. Further to this, the paper has evaluated the two water provisions namely
Engineering Techniques and Vegetative Treatment Practices within the region of Marathwada.

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References
den Besten, N.I., Pande, S. and Savenije, H.H., 2016. A socio-hydrological comparative
assessment explaining regional variances in suicide rate amongst farmers in Maharashtra,
India. Proceedings of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences, 373, pp.115-118.
Ferrant, S., Caballero, Y., Perrin, J., Gascoin, S., Dewandel, B., Aulong, S., Dazin, F., Ahmed, S.
and Maréchal, J.C., 2014. Projected impacts of climate change on farmers' extraction of
groundwater from crystalline aquifers in South India. Scientific reports, 4, p.3697.
Ganguli, P. and Reddy, M.J., 2014. Evaluation of trends and multivariate frequency analysis of
droughts in three meteorological subdivisions of western India. International Journal of
Climatology, 34(3), pp.911-928.
Guhathakurta, P. and Saji, E., 2013. Detecting changes in rainfall pattern and seasonality index
vis-à-vis increasing water scarcity in Maharashtra. Journal of earth system science, 122(3),
pp.639-649.
Krishna, H., Singh, I.S., Bhargava, R. and Sharma, S.K., 2013, July. Fruit-based cropping
systems for sustainable production. ICAR.
Kulkarni, A., Gadgil, S. and Patwardhan, S., 2016. Monsoon variability, the 2015 Marathwada
drought and rainfed agriculture. Current Science, 111(7), pp.1182-1193.
Nain, M.S., Singh, R., Sangeetha, V., Chandel, S.S., Kumar, P. and Peer, J.A., 2013. Strategies
for entrepreneurship development through fruit production in Jammu and Kashmir
state. Agricultural Science Digest, 33(3), pp.165-171.

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Pancholi, V.H., Lodha, P.P. and Prakash, I., 2015. Estimation of Runoff and Soil Erosion for
Vishwamitri River Watershed, Western India Using RS and GIS. American Journal of Water
Science and Engineering, 1(2), pp.7-14.
Roy, P.S., Behera, M.D., Murthy, M.S.R., Roy, A., Singh, S., Kushwaha, S.P.S., Jha, C.S.,
Sudhakar, S., Joshi, P.K., Reddy, C.S. and Gupta, S., 2015. New vegetation type map of India
prepared using satellite remote sensing: Comparison with global vegetation maps and
utilities. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, 39, pp.142-
159.
Waikar, M.L. and Nilawar, A.P., 2014. Identification of groundwater potential zone using remote
sensing and GIS technique. Int J Innov Res Sci Eng Technol, 3(5), pp.12163-12174.