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If you step out into <keyword id="19895037" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="bengaluru" source="keywords">Bengaluru</keyword> traffic these days, there’s a good chance you’ll discover a bulky water tanker spearheading the all-too-familiar clog in traffic. Amidst the ongoing <keyword id="6355836" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="water-crisis" source="Orion">water crisis</keyword>, India’s Silicon City has mobilised thousands of tankers that zip, almost heroically, across the city, rescuing parched residences from the metro’s urban planning crisis. Bidding to reduce their reliance on the exorb<keyword id="6354185" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="it" source="Orion">it</keyword>ant tankers — a necessary step after the exhaustion of half the city’s groundwater-fed borewells — many residential societies have begun innovating water-saving techniques, with varying degrees of success. However, for the several businesses and industries littering the metropolitan town, it seems like dark days are looming. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="IT in turmoil" comment="subhead" text="IT in turmoil">IT in turmoil</cmsannotation> Hosting over 1,400 tech companies that employ tens of lakhs of employees, Bengaluru has certainly earned its title as India’s ‘Silicon Valley’. Not only has this driven a rapid boom in economic, infrastructural and industrial development, the city has acted as a magnet for people looking for attractive employment opportunities. Unfortunately, this success has also resulted in <a href="https://bpac.in/bangalore-population-growth-consequences-and-possible-solutions/" data-type="tilCustomLink">population levels haphazardly spiking</a> from 2,900 people per square kilometre in 2001 to 4,300 within a single decade. Estimates suggest that this figure may have breached 8,000 by now! In addition to deterring water-cooler conversations, the lack of water in their workplaces have led to several companies already urging employees to work from home. Echoing a growing sentiment among the city’s techies, <a href="https://m.economictimes.com/news/india/it-companies-in-bengaluru-urged-to-give-15-lakh-employees-wfh-option-as-city-grapples-with-water-crisis/articleshow/108761390.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">ex-Chief Justice K Sreedhar Rao also pleaded</a> for temporary remote arrangements for migrant IT workers to depopulate Bengaluru till the water crisis is dealt with. However, many such multinational employees have already begun to preemptively take matters into their own hands by temporarily or permanently moving to other cities, such as the nearby Mysuru. Needless to say, this has disrupted operations for many companies, including some of the top IT firms in Bengaluru. In a surprising turn of tragic events, senior personnel at <keyword id="19969515" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="dell" source="keywords">Dell</keyword> have begun skipping meetings to prioritise their procurement of water, reported the Deccan Herald. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Real estate rates to fall; restaurants forced to adapt" comment="subhead" text="Real estate rates to fall; restaurants forced to adapt"><keyword id="6354553" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="real-estate" source="Orion">Real estate</keyword> rates to fall; restaurants forced to adapt</cmsannotation> With pleasant weather the year round, Bengaluru has proven itself time and again as an excellent place to settle down and relax. The city’s diverse population is a testament to its uncanny ability to draw people from all over India, even before the city’s notable IT boom. Real estate has now hit an all-time high, with high demand and attractive financial options helping the sector grow exponentially in the past few decades, reportedly recording a staggering nine-year-high 54,000 housing units sold in 2023. However, the city’s recent water woes have left potential property investors second-guessing. According to a recent Deccan Herald poll, around 60% of the respondents noted that they have postponed their move to Bengaluru due to the ongoing shortage, while a similar number of people have also begun evaluating investment options in other cities. Homebuyers have also begun to diligently inquire into <keyword id="55273" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="groundwater" source="Orion">groundwater</keyword> borewell depths and water-saving technologies when consulting developers. While <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/business/bengaluru-water-crisis-alarms-property-investors-dh-poll-2930539" data-type="tilCustomLink">many contractors remain firm</a> that these reactions are not representative of a long-term trend, some experts have predicted that a fall in property prices may become inevitable. A <a href="https://www.republicworld.com/business/real-estate/bengaluru-water-crisis-property-prices-in-peenya-hsr-layout-marathahalli-to-fall-15-say-experts/" data-type="tilCustomLink">Republic report</a> explains that house rates could fall up to 10-15% in the most water-stressed regions of East and Central Bengaluru, including HSR Layout, Marathahalli, Rajaji Nagar and Peenya. Needless to say, the crisis has also taken a toll on Bengaluru’s various hotels and eateries, many of which are severely dependent on tanker water for cooking, cleaning and drinking purposes. Krishna Raj, owner of the popular <keyword id="21126683" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nisarg-grand-hotel" source="keywords">Nisarg Grand Hotel</keyword>, <a href="https://www.livemint.com/news/india/bengaluru-water-crisis-news-hotels-disposable-utensils-shortage-lok-sabha-polls-karnataka-dk-shivakumar-congress-bjp-11710055127680.html" data-type="tilCustomLink">explained</a> that they might have to begin serving food in disposable utensils if the trend continues into the summer months. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Industrial district parched" comment="subhead" text="Industrial district parched">Industrial district parched</cmsannotation> Located in Northwest Bengaluru, Peenya is home to thousands of industries of varying sizes, producing a host of electronics, textiles, packaging, machines and other consumer items. However, being one of the largest industrial areas in Asia hasn’t protected its businesses from the ongoing crisis. In an <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/industry/news/bengaluru-water-crisis-to-impact-local-industries-in-coming-weeks-experts-124030601026_1.html" data-type="tilCustomLink">interview with Business Standard</a>, <keyword id="21126682" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="peenya-industries-association" source="keywords">Peenya Industries Association</keyword> President H. M. Arif explained that the area’s micro-industries are strained to the point that many could be forced to close soon if the water crisis continues unmitigated. Many such sectors have also become hopelessly reliant on tanker water, and the associated rising costs have begun to bottleneck the manufacturing process. Prices of several commercial products could go up soon if this trend continues. “Many from the hosiery or garment sector need water for processing,” Arif explains. “You need water for workers as well as other needs. The government is saying it will source recycled water for the industry. But for that, there is a tendering process and at this rate, we will not get water this season.” <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Solutions and cautious optimism" comment="subhead" text="Solutions and cautious optimism">Solutions and cautious optimism</cmsannotation> This is not to say that the government isn’t taking measures to tackle the crisis. After ordaining centralised control over water tankers and actively regulating prices to ensure the city’s water isn’t hoarded solely by the rich, officials also placed bans on recreational water use. In addition, initiatives are underway to “inject” 1,300 million litres of purified water into the city’s drying lakes per day, which the officials allege will help restore local groundwater levels. <keyword id="19927086" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bwssb" source="keywords">BWSSB</keyword> has also announced plans to build an array of next-gen water treatment plants near restored lake beds to purify and deliver water wherever required. Addressing the harsh summers ahead, Karnataka government officials have expressed optimism that the completion of the Cauvery Five — a massive array of treatment plants that will treat sewage to produce 100 million litres of water a day — will help make up for any deficits by July. Meanwhile, many large corporations, including Microsoft, have begun utilising water-saving tap aerators to control water flow in the Bagmane Business Park offices. The city’s water board, the BWSSB, has also launched four mobile apps to help tackle the city’s water crisis. Attempting to bridge a gap between the water department and the citizens it serves, these apps will help residents book water online, apply for borewell permissions, report water misuse and more. At 24% of its total capacity, reservoirs across Karnataka are also drying up. Despite growing shortages, the state government has assured that the Cauvery River reservoir that supplies water to Bengaluru holds sufficient water levels to last at least until June. After that, the pre-monsoon and monsoon rains are expected to replenish the water resources. However, the supply remains much lower compared to the demand, and the only way to survive this summer could be to adopt drastic water-saving measures and a few good spells of pre-monsoon showers.

Water crisis affects businesses across Bengaluru; Is there room for cautious optimism?

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Scientists predicted how climate hazards will worsen in nearly 1,000 major cities by 2100.</li><li>Heat waves, energy demand, and mosquito-borne diseases will spike as global temperatures rise.</li></ul>Monthlong heat waves. Skyrocketing energy demand. Greater risks of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/west-nile-triple-e-mosquito-virus-diseases-us-2024-9">mosquito-borne diseases</a>.These are the climate hazards that people living in nearly 1,000 of the world's largest cities will continue to face as global average temperatures rise through the end of the century, a new analysis by the World Resources Institute, an environmental-research group, found. And the impacts won't be felt equally. People living in low-income cities in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and Indonesia face the greatest threats.The findings come as <a target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://climate.copernicus.eu/copernicus-summer-2024-hottest-record-globally-and-europe">2024 is on track to be the hottest year on record</a>, and billions of people are expected to move into urban areas in the coming decades. More than half the world's population, or 4.4 billion people, lives in cities. By 2050, city dwellers are forecast to make up two-thirds of humanity, with the vast majority of that growth in Africa and Asia. Some 2 billion people currently live in the cities that WRI studied, from Seattle and Rio de Janeiro to Johannesburg and Bengaluru, India."Most climate modeling looks at hazards, exposure, and risks at a national scale because that's where a lot of policymaking and international agreements are focused," Eric Mackres, the senior manager of data and tools at the WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities and a coauthor of the study, said. "But that's disconnected from where people live. We wanted to put more localized information in the hands of those decision-makers so they're informed about the risks that they are likely to experience."<h2 id="c108ac2f-66b9-4462-bb7a-b51785a2b482">Local climate hazards</h2>To make predictions at a city level, Mackres said WRI built on global climate modeling done by hundreds of other researchers. These models contain daily information — both historical data and projections through 2100 — on air temperature, humidity, and precipitation. WRI used that data to make its own projections about the length and frequency of heat waves, how often people will need to cool their homes and workplaces, and the number of days with optimal temperatures for mosquitoes in cities with at least half a million people. WRI compared how those local hazards are expected to change as global average temperatures rise from 1.5 degrees Celsius to 3 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels — a threshold scientists say the world is likely to cross by 2100.The world has warmed by about 1.2 degrees so far compared with mid-1800s levels, and the consequences are playing out around the world.<div type="image" title="A graph shows how long heat waves will last in seven regions around the world under 1.5 degrees of global warming compared to preindustrial levels." height="1080" width="1080" msid="113493288" hostid="261" sizebytes="66672"></div>In Bengaluru, India's fifth-most-populous city, extreme heat has caused severe water shortages and surging energy demand. Under 1.5 degrees of warming, heat waves could last about 13 days on average and stretch to nearly 38 days as global temperatures rise, WRI found. Bengaluru last year <a target="_blank" href="https://wri-india.org/news/release-bengalurus-first-ever-climate-action-plan-launched">launched its first climate-action plan</a>, which includes planting trees and expanding green spaces to help cool down urban centers.An enormous outbreak of dengue fever is underway in Brazil. In Rio de Janeiro, peak days for transmission of mosquito-borne illnesses could increase from 69 to 118 a year, WRI found. The city is investing in vaccines, and community health workers are hunting down places that help mosquitoes breed, including standing water, to reduce risks.Meanwhile, places that haven't had to consider cooling strategies are now being forced to, including the US Pacific Northwest. Seattle was once the least-air-conditioned city. Now it ranks second behind San Francisco after a series of deadly heat waves prompted residents to install AC. The trend is playing out in cities that are already hot, too, like Tehran, Iran, and Marrakech, Morocco, and spiking energy demand along the way. If that demand is met with fossil fuels like oil, gas, and coal, it could exacerbate the climate crisis, WRI said.WRI noted that there are limitations to its research, in part because there are a lot of unknowns about the future. National governments and cities can slow the climate crisis and protect people from its impacts, including by shifting away from fossil fuels and investing in infrastructure that's more resilient to heat and storms."Our findings are not a foregone conclusion," Mackres said. "These are choices we have between 1.5 and 3 degrees of warming, and none are out of the realm of possibility. It's really important that national decision-makers understand the impacts on cities and the actions that cities can take to both reduce climate change and to adapt to what's coming."<a target="_blank" href="https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/19141193/">You can explore the data for your city here.</a>

A new tool shows what the climate crisis could feel like in your city

Thailand’s geographical proximity and affordability, along with its platter of delectable food, historical sites, pristine beaches and lively atmosphere, holds a particular appeal for Indian travellers. While tourists from India were forced to limit their travels to the Island country to a 15-day stay under a visa-on-arrival scheme until recently, the Thailand government is now extending its arms wider for us. Thailand's tourism sector has been strategically easing <keyword id="20166202" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="visa-regulations" source="keywords">visa regulations</keyword> to attract visitors from key markets like China and Russia. And now, the country has extended its visa exemption program, allowing visitors from these countries to vacation visa-free for up to 30 days until November 11, 2024. This move aims to revitalise its tourism industry, a key driver of the nation's economy. This is no doubt great news for those wanting to spend more time in the bustling city of Bangkok or immerse themselves in the rich culture and calm of its gorgeous temples. However, there are some rather glaring problems that Thailand is facing, thanks to climate change and the <keyword id="21610692" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="El-Nio-event" source="keywords">El Niño event</keyword> — that impacted India as well. <h4>Water shortage hits <keyword id="21610693" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Phi-Phi-islands" source="keywords">Phi Phi islands</keyword> </h4> For instance, the idyllic islands of Koh Phi Phi, which attract many Indians every year, are facing a real-life challenge that's anything but relaxing — a severe water shortage after a scorching heatwave gripped Asia. The private company supplying water may have to cut off service entirely, according to Wichupan Phukaoluan Srisanya, president of the Krabi Hotel Association. Island authorities are scrambling for solutions, considering bringing in water from the mainland if the dry spell persists. However, they remain optimistic that the upcoming wet season in May will bring relief, and Wichupan insists that tourists planning trips shouldn't be deterred, claiming they can manage the situation. But whispers of trouble are already reaching potential visitors. Online forums and travel reviews are buzzing with warnings from returning tourists urging others to "check if their accommodation has fresh water" before booking. Some reports even detail tap water running dry in April. While Koh Phi Phi takes centre stage, the heatwave's impact isn't isolated. <keyword id="21563893" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="koh-samui" source="keywords">Koh Samui</keyword>, another popular Thai island, has also experienced dry and scorching conditions. Although the tourism board there assures visitors haven't been affected, the island reportedly relies on water trucks, significantly increasing operational costs for hotels. <h4>Island closure due to coral bleaching </h4> A popular island in southern Thailand, <keyword id="21605630" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pling-Island" source="keywords">Pling Island</keyword>, has been hit with a temporary closure due to extensive coral bleaching. This drastic measure by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) highlights the growing threat climate change poses to our underwater wonders. Pling Island recently witnessed intense heatwaves along with many other islands across Thailand and Asia. Due to ocean warming and acidification, corals expel the algae living within them, leaving them pale and vulnerable — a process referred to as coral bleaching. Thailand’s pristine beaches and vibrant coral reefs are a major draw for visitors, generating millions in revenue. However, unregulated tourism also puts a strain on these delicate ecosystems. Thailand's proactive approach in closing Pling Island demonstrates a commitment to striking a balance between economic prosperity and environmental sustainability. While natural phenomena like El Niño contribute to warmer temperatures, scientists point to human-induced climate change as the bigger culprit. Warmer oceans are the new normal, with Asia experiencing a faster-than-average rise in temperatures. Pling Island's closure and Phi Phi’s water crisis serve as a stark reminder of that every system has a carrying capacity and we must honour it. It sends the powerful message that even paradise needs a break once in a while to ensure its future remains dazzling. While the tourism-reliant industry of Thailand could greatly benefit from more visitors, mindful travel would help secure the future of the countrymen.

Thailand is now welcoming Indians with open arms, but are its drought-hit islands really prepared for a tourism influx?

Globally, the rate at which people are installing solar panels and buying electric vehicles is "perfectly in line" with what experts have said is necessary to reach net zero emissions by 2050. That's according to <keyword id="293700" type="General" weightage="60" keywordseo="fatih-birol" source="Orion">Fatih Birol</keyword>, the economist who leads the world's energy watchdog, the International Energy Agency (<keyword id="66776" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="iea" source="Orion">IEA</keyword>). Thanks to a "staggering" rise in clean energy generation and investment over the last two years alone, the prospect of halting global heating at 1.5°C remains intact, he added. After a summer of unparalleled climate disasters in Libya, Greece and Canada, should dread turn to optimism? In a recent update on humanity's progress with cutting greenhouse gas emissions, the IEA concluded that by 2030: <keyword id="560717" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="fossil-fuel" source="Orion">fossil fuel</keyword> demand must fall 25% -the energy efficiency of homes, vehicles and other appliances must double -methane emissions from the oil and gas sector must fall 75% The report assumes that renewable energy capacity will need to triple and replace coal, oil and gas at a rapid pace by the end of this decade to guard against catastrophic levels of warming. But despite sources like solar consistently defying even the most bullish predictions, fossil fuels have hardly budged: they supplied 82% of the world's energy last year and 87% in 2000. Why? Fossil fuels linger, wind power stalls "Rapidly increasing renewable energy hasn't cut coal and gas consumption at the same rate because humankind is using a lot more electricity than we used to, especially in Asia," says Malte Jansen, a lecturer in energy and sustainability at the University of Sussex. "[In Europe and North America] renewable energy has slowly eaten into the proportion of energy generated by fossil fuels, while all other energy sources (nuclear, hydro, biomass) have remained about the same. In Asia, electricity demand has tripled since the 2000s, with the bulk of this energy coming from fossil fuels." And while the report was glowing in its assessment of solar power's performance, it noted that planned projects for generating wind energy this decade trail what the IEA says will be necessary by 2030. Jansen says wind is a particularly valuable energy source during winter, when energy demand peaks. Unfortunately, the wind industry has been buffeted by inflation. "For those involved in the construction of an offshore wind farm, this means the cost of both the physical parts (such as the turbines) and the debt (bank loans) has gone up," says Phil McNally, a research fellow in electricity markets at UCL. McNally does not believe this setback heralds the end of cheap offshore wind, as some have claimed. Instead, he argues, it means governments must produce strategic plans to grow the sector which include how much energy they wish to procure in auctions with developers. Net zero must come sooner According to the IEA, "almost all countries" will also need to move their net zero target dates forward by several years. Most developed countries, including the US and Australia, aim to fully decarbonise by 2050. Under the UN principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, developing countries have a bit longer: India plans for 2070, for example. A team of energy experts at Australian National University (with support from nearly 900 engineers) recently argued that Australia could hit net zero as early as 2035. But in the UK at least, government policies on net zero are moving in the opposite direction. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recently scrapped requirements on landlords to raise the energy efficiency of their properties and delayed the phase-out of petrol and diesel car sales from 2030 to 2035. "As my own analysis has shown," says Tim Jackson, a professor of sustainable development at the University of Surrey, "the UK's fair share of the global carbon budget, taking into account the development needs of the poorest parts of the world, will be exhausted before 2030. Forget 2050. The science is clear. Delay is tantamount to capitulation." We've been here before What can earlier energy transitions teach us about what is happening today? According to energy historian Vaclav Smil, past energy transitions took on average 50-75 years to ripple through society. We no longer have that kind of time says Liz Conor, an ARC Future Fellow at La Trobe University. "To farm fields and build cities, we've gone from relying on human or animal muscle to wind and water to power sailboats and mill grain. Then we began switching to the energy dense hydrocarbons, coal, gas and oil. But this can't last." "We were first warned in 1859 that when burned, these fuels add to the Earth's warming blanket of greenhouse gases and threaten our liveable climate," she says. Environmental limits have spurred the shift to new energy sources before. Take England's transition from burning wood to coal. "England was once carpeted in forest. Endemic deforestation drove the change to coal in the 16th and 17th centuries. Most English coal pits opened between 1540 and 1640," Conor says. Later, dwindling whale populations saw the US abandon whaling as a source of fuel and lubricant for crude oil extraction. But the dominance of coal, oil and gas today was not inevitable. Conor points to 1850s New England, where steam generated from burning coal was three times more expensive than water for powering textile mills. Smil's research documents how waterwheels and turbines "competed successfully with steam engines for decades". "The energy of flowing water was free. Digging up coal was labour-intensive. Why did steam win?" asks Conor. The answer, she says, referring to work by human ecologist Andreas Malm at Lund University, is capital. "Locating steam engines in urban centres made it easier to concentrate and control workers, as well as overcoming worker walk-outs and machine breaking," Conor says. Today's energy transition requires another active intervention, she adds. "Once solar panels and wind turbines are built, sunlight and wind are free. It is the resistance of the old guard - fossil fuel corporations - that is holding us back." (The Conversation) NSA NSA

Climate crisis: Net zero goal still alive, says IEA

<ul><li>The national capital of India may be facing a <keyword id="6355017" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="water-shortage">water shortage</keyword> over the next three days.</li><li>The water shortage will not only impact the general population, but also hospitals, which are currently reeling from the surge in COVID-19 patients.</li><li>According to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), Haryana is to blame for reducing the supply of water by 20% to 30% as well as making the water dirtier.</li><li>The DJB has filed a petition with the Supreme Court to address the issue. The court will hear the cases tomorrow on May 6.</li></ul>India’s national capital, New Delhi, has been under lockdown for nearly three weeks now, due to the surging number of COVID-19 cases. And a water shortage will only make things worse. The city is already facing a number of shortages as it is, from vaccines to oxygen to medical supplies. The administration in Delhi saw this coming, more than a month ago. The vice chairman of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), Raghav Chaddha, claims he has even written multiple letters to the Haryana Chief Minister to address the issue, but no resolution has been offered. With no other option on the table, the DJB finally moved the Supreme Court to help the national capital in its moment of crisis. It told the apex court that there is a critical shortage in water being supplied from the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana. Not only will the people in the city suffer at large, the water shortage could hit hospitals as well -- the same hospitals which are currently understaffed and overrun with COVID-19 patients. <div type="ExtQuote" text="&quot;Due to depletion of levels at Wazirabad Pond and reduction in the release of raw water by Haryana into Yamuna, water production has been curtailed from the water treatment plants at Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla.”" auname="Notification by the Delhi Jal Board on May 5"></div> The bench, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Nuthalapati Venkata Ramana, has decided to hear the matter tomorrow on May 6. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="How bad is the water situation in Delhi?" comment="subhead" text="How bad is the water situation in Delhi?">How bad is the water situation in Delhi?</cmsannotation> The Yamuna River in Delhi gets around 250 million gallons of raw water from the Upper Ganga Canal. As of April, that flow was down to around which means only around 200 million gallons of water is coming in. As a result there was a shortage of water at the Sonia Vihar and Bhagirathi water treatment plants. To make matters worse, the water is dirtier than it used to be. The high ammonia concentration in the Yamuna has affected the productivity of the water treatment plants in Chandrawal and Wazirabad. These two plants are responsible for churning out an average of 228 million gallons of water a day for the people of Delhi. As per the latest estimates, levels at the Wazirabad water treatment plant have fallen by over 1% from the standard level of 674.5 feet to 667.2 feet of water. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Delhi saw the water shortage coming" comment="subhead" text="Delhi saw the water shortage coming">Delhi saw the water shortage coming</cmsannotation> This is not the first time that the DJB has had to go to the Supreme Court. On March 23, the DJB told the bench headed by CJI Sharad Arvind Bobde that Haryana has plans to cut 20% of its water to Delhi to repair work in one of its canals. Senior advocate AM Singhvi and advocate Gautam Narayan, appearing for the DJB, urged the court to order Haryana to postpone the work. They argued that a reduction in water supply during the peak summer months would adversely affect the national capital. At the time, the Supreme Court had ordered Haryana, as well as Punjab and the Bhakra Beas Management Board, to not make any changes to the supply of water to Delhi until April 6. The court then extended the water supply order to April 14. The following week, on April 19, the Supreme Court appointed a committee to conduct a local inspection with regard to the quality and quantity of water coming in from Haryana to Delhi. Disputes of water between Delhi and Haryana are not new. They happen every summer when the supply of water is limited and the national capital is dependent on its neighbour to ensure adequate supply. The only difference this time is the pandemic, which is putting the spotlight back on an already ongoing battle for survival. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="This is the full list of areas in Delhi that are likely to be impacted by the water shortage between May 6 to May 8" comment="subhead" text="This is the full list of areas in Delhi that are likely to be impacted by the water shortage between May 6 to May 8">This is the full list of areas in Delhi that are likely to be impacted by the water shortage between May 6 to May 8</cmsannotation> <ol><li>Civil Lines</li><li>Hindu Rao Hospital and adjoining areas</li><li>Kamla Nagar</li><li>Shakti Nagar and adjoining areas</li><li>Karol Bagh</li><li>Pahar Ganj and NDMC areas</li><li>Old and New Rajinder Nagar</li><li>East and West Patel Nagar</li><li>Baljeet Nagar</li><li>Prem Nagar</li><li>Inderpuri and adjoining areas</li><li>Kalkaji</li><li>Govindpuri</li><li>Tughlakabad</li><li>Sangam Vihar</li><li>Ambedkar Nagar</li><li>Prahladpur and adjoining areas</li><li>Ramleela Ground</li><li>Delhi Gate</li><li>Subhash Park</li><li>Model Town</li><li>Gulabi Bagh</li><li>Punjabi Bagh</li><li>Jahangirpuri</li><li>Moolchand</li><li>South Extension</li><li>Greater Kailash</li><li>Burari and adjoining areas</li><li>Parts of the Cantonment areas, South Delhi, Central Delhi, West Delhi and North Delhi</li></ol>SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/banks-respond-positively-to-indian-central-banks-covid-stimulus-package-check-out-the-list-of-top-gainers/articleshow/82400850.cms">Banks respond positively to Indian central bank’s COVID stimulus package – check out the list of top gainers</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/space/news/chinse-space-station-rocket-to-hit-earth-being-tracked-by-the-pentagon-us-space-command/articleshow/82402617.cms">The Pentagon has its eye on the out-of-control Chinese rocket that is expected to crash into Earth — but it’s not anything to lose sleep over</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/private-ambulances-in-gurgaon-are-on-strike-amid-the-surging-cases-of-covid-19/articleshow/82404211.cms">COVID-19 patients are the ones paying the price amid the tussle over rates between the government and ambulance operators in Gurgaon</a>

Water shortage might be on the way to worsen Delhi's COVID-19 crisis

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The climate crisis is throwing a wrench into already messy supply chains.</li><li>Supply chains of late have been disrupted by a pandemic, geopolitical tensions, and rising costs.</li></ul>The world's supply chains are in even bigger trouble than you think.While <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-trade-war-covid-companies-moving-supply-chains-2022-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the COVID-19 pandemic</a> and <a href="https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3146489/us-china-trade-war-timeline-key-dates-and-events-july-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">China's tensions with Washington</a> have been disrupting supply in the past few years, yet another thing is playing out that might even keep you from getting your holiday presents on time months from now: the climate crisis.The situation is serious this summer because of a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/historic-drought-hot-seas-slow-panama-canal-shipping-2023-08-21/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">historic drought</a> affecting rainfall that feeds into the Panama Canal. This has lowered the canal's water levels and limited the number and the weight of ships that can float on it.It's causing a buildup in the number of ships waiting to cross the waterway.Droughts aren't a new phenomenon at the Panama Canal — climate change has been associated with <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/panama-canal-tackles-climate-change-puzzle-too-little-rainwater-or-too-much-11624872601" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unpredictable weather</a> for years. But the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/panama-canal-drought-travel-ships-income-falling-el-nino-2023-8">dry weather</a> is worse this summer, in part because of the onset of the <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/historic-drought-hot-seas-slow-panama-canal-shipping-2023-08-21/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">El Niño weather phenomenon,</a> which takes place every few years.This has added a new level of unpredictability that one supply-chain expert says might require the industry to "fundamentally transform."Nari Viswanathan, the senior director of the supply chain at the budget-management company Coupa, told Insider that the global supply chain had been designed to respond relatively quickly to market conditions like shifting demand.The climate crisis presents a new kind of unpredictability, one that Viswanathan said could require predictive weather analysis using algorithms and data.<h2>One shipper paid over $2 million to cross the Panama Canal — and this could hit consumer prices</h2>Project44, a supply-chain platform, told Insider earlier this month that the drought conditions had caused shipping capacity through the Panama Canal to drop by over 20% in the prior two weeks.The decline is concerning, as it is peak shipping season when retailers ramp up shipping in anticipation of increased demand ahead of holiday shopping. About <a href="https://www.globaltrademag.com/potential-shortages-loom-as-panama-canal-restrictions-impact-holiday-stocks/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">40% of US container traffic</a> passes through the waterway."If this downward trend continues, it could prompt shippers to reevaluate their choice of ports for bringing in inventory to ensure holiday season shelves remain adequately stocked," Project44 added.The situation has the shipping giant Maersk worried."The low water levels at the Panama Canal are a clear example of the effects of climate change in rainfall and weather patterns across the globe, which causes a ripple effect through the supply chain," a company representative said.The congestion of massive container ships and energy tankers in the Panama Canal has gotten so bad that <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/panama-canal-traffic-auction-shippers-paying-millions-for-crossing-2023-9">one shipper recently paid over $2 million just to beat the queue</a> to cross the waterway.Such surcharges add to transportation costs and could feed into high prices for the end consumer."Panama Canal surcharges and vessel restrictions will likely mean higher <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/06/24/us-trade-dominates-panama-canal-traffic-a-drought-is-threatening-it.html">clothing and shoe prices for US consumers</a> this holiday season," Stephen Lamar, the president and CEO of the American Apparel &amp; Footwear Association, told CNBC in June.The weather forecast isn't encouraging for ships crossing the Panama Canal in the short and long term, Jon Davis, the chief meteorologist at Everstream Analytics, told Insider.That's because the El Niño weather event is likely to strengthen, which would be associated with below-normal rainfall from late this year through early 2024, he said.<h2>Supply chains were already in chaos from COVID-19, geopolitics, and rising costs in China</h2>To be sure, the vessel congestion at the Panama Canal is troubling because it adds to the existing stress on the world's supply chains.The COVID-19 pandemic and China's strict on-off lockdowns, in particular, underscored the risks of depending so heavily on the East Asian country, which has been the world's factory floor for the past four decades.One example was the tech giant <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-accelerates-production-china-protests-2022-12">Apple, which was hit by supply-chain disruptions</a> from China's COVID-19 containment policies.The pandemic accelerated a global supply-chain diversification away from China that kicked off in about 2018 after President Donald Trump launched a <a href="https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3146489/us-china-trade-war-timeline-key-dates-and-events-july-2018" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">trade war against China</a>.<a href="https://www.cfr.org/timeline/us-china-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Washington-Beijing tensions</a> are still high under the Biden administration, particularly in the area of <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/us-investors-flag-retaliation-risks-after-bidens-china-tech-curbs-2023-08-11/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">high-tech chips</a>, prompting investors across the board to reconsider their business risks.Even before geopolitics started playing an outsize role in the shifting of supply chains<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gdp-trump-tariff-trade-war-us-china-2018-10">,</a> it was costs that were already pushing some companies out of China.<a href="https://iems.ust.hk/publications/thought-leadership-briefs/can-chinese-manufacturing-firms-cope-with-rising-labor-costs-albert-park" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wages and operating costs</a> have been rising over four decades amid China's turbocharged growth, so alternative aspiring low-cost factory hubs — such as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-trade-war-covid-companies-moving-supply-chains-2022-12">India and Vietnam</a> — have been pumping in billions of dollars to develop their own manufacturing ecosystems.

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Water shortage might be on the way to worsen Delhi's COVID-19 crisis

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