Water crisis

Well-known polymath Benjamin Franklin once said, "When the well's dry, we know the worth of water". Today people are realising the importance of this pristine resource with its ever-increasing shortage all over the world.

The greater population of the world lies in villages. Their water demand is met through water bodies (traditional rivers, reservoir lakes, ponds and springs) and groundwater (open wells, bore wells, tube wells, and hand pumps) and stored rainwater. However, people all around the world have started facing the water crunch due to shrinking surface water bodies and depleting groundwater levels. The unnatural death of thousands of water bodies and considerable decline in the area of wetlands during the past few decades have led to the present water crisis in different parts of the world.

With the depleting surface water bodies both in urban and rural areas, people's dependence on groundwater has increased considerably. This, in turn, led to over-exploitation of groundwater resources in various parts of the world. The dipping groundwater levels in various parts is a matter of concern as it critically supports agriculture, industrial and domestic activities. Besides affecting the state's economic growth, the declining groundwater levels have other implications like depletion in freshwater resources and the creation of ecological imbalance.

The water crisis is more accentuated by changing rainfall patterns owing to climate change, rainfall has become more erratic affecting groundwater recharge and surface water conservation. All these ponds, which were essential to store rainwater during the dry period have disappeared across the state owing to the alleged government apathy and increasing real state activities. These ponds and wetlands have been encroached upon by the vested interest for construction purposes. 

Habitat destruction and encroachment through drainage and landfill, discharge of wastewater and industrial effluents, uncontrolled siltation and weed infestation and harmful full fertilizer and pesticide runoff are all leading to the depletion of water bodies. Therefore all efforts should be made to conserve the wetlands and protect them from being polluted.

SDG 6 Clean water and sanitation, demands the government to provide clean drinking water to its citizens and ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. This could be achieved through comprehensive efforts on the part of the government. Inter-linking of rivers, resolution of disputes on the part of sharing of water of rivers, developing structures that could store water in a sustainable manner, and forming a holistic approach towards solving the water crisis. This crisis could affect the future generation's, depriving them of their right to life. Through combined efforts, the crisis before us could be solved.