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<ul><li>Hyderabad may not have drinking water in the next 48 days. </li><li>A sluggish monsoon that brought little rainfall in Telangana state, has put Hyderabad at the brink of a <keyword id="6355836" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="water-crisis">water crisis</keyword>. </li><li>It could affect its 6.8 million residents. </li></ul>India’s worst ever water crisis might cripple the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad — in the next 48 days. A sluggish monsoon that brought little rainfall in Telangana state, has put its capital — Hyderabad— at the brink of a water crisis. And, it could affect its 6.8 million residents. Since July 1, Hyderabad district witnessed 115.1 mm of rainfall. But it is 29% lower than its normal rainfall,<a href="https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/water-crisis-looming-over-hyderabad-telanganas-reservoirs-run-dry-105433"> said Telangana State Development Planning Society. </a> “If monsoon plays truant, there is every likelihood of Hyderabad facing water crisis from the second week of September,” said an official to Times Of India. This will be the second city that will be in trouble after Chennai ran out of water, forcing its government to bring in water using train wagons. All the four reservoirs of Chennai ran dry, leaving its residents scrambling for<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/five-years-on-india-may-not-even-get-a-chance-to-solve-its-on-going-water-crisis-risking-hundreds-of-millions-of-lives/articleshow/69988627.cms"> water to drink.</a> Drying Reservoirs There are two primary sources of water in Hyderabad — the Nagarjuna Sagar reservoir (River Krishna) and the Yellampalli reservoir (River Godavari). Water levels at both these reservoirs are dangerously low, spreading fears of an acute water crisis. In spite of the rains, there isn’t any fresh water from any of the sources including the twin reservoirs of Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar. The state authorities are hoping that rainfall in the next two-three weeks can restore the situation back to normal. In case the water level doesn’t rise, the state authorities will have to prepare an emergency action plan that involves pumping out water from reservoirs. Nation-wide crisis The government think tank NITI Aayog believes that 21 of the country’s major cities will be devoid of groundwater by 2020, affecting 100 million people. It named New Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad in its list. Water has been a cause for stress in the country. While most cities are in want of water, others are facing an excess. <a href="https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/india/heavy-rain-and-floods-in-indias-assam-kill-10-displace-more-than-1m-1.65208377">Floods in Assam </a>have displaced a million people, and killed eleven as the state continues to face problems. Experts are calling for privatising water supply as a cost-effective measure that can bring in efficiencies into water management. “Mumbai loses 25% of its water to leakage and theft. Similarly, 37% of the water leaks out of Bangalore’s pipelines. Politicians and bureaucrats receive water in their own homes, and receive their salaries regardless of how poorly they perform their duties. Not surprisingly, they see no need to improve. <a href="https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3012374/indias-worst-ever-water-shortage-and-corruption-surrounding-it-can">an economist wrote in the South China Morning Post</a>.” See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/the-first-special-train-carrying-more-than-2-million-litre-of-water-reaches-chennai/articleshow/70192058.cms">The first special train carries 2 million litres of water to Chennai — but the quick fix might not solve its problems</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/five-years-on-india-may-not-even-get-a-chance-to-solve-its-on-going-water-crisis-risking-hundreds-of-millions-of-lives/articleshow/69988627.cms">Five years on, India may not even get a chance to solve its on-going water crisis risking hundreds of millions of lives</a>

India’s water crisis deepens as Hyderabad might run out of water, like Chennai

<ul><li>About 29.32% of the country's geographic area deteriorated between 2011 and 2013. </li><li>India is quickly moving to save its lands by voluntary watershed management program. </li><li>More than 30% of the country's land is facing desertification.</li></ul>India is fast turning into a desert, all thanks to the extreme heat and lack of water. A recent report by <a href="https://www.teriin.org/press-release/india-soon-set-voluntary-targets-combat-land-degradation">TERI says</a> that 29.3% of the country's geographic area deteriorated between 2011 and 2013. It means as much as 147 million hectares of the country's land, which is at high risk. Though a little late, India is quickly moving to save its lands by voluntary watershed management program. "The most effective principle of rainfed and degraded area development is the conservation and efficient use of natural resources. It can best be achieved through watershed development, adopting the ridge-to-valley approach,” <a href="https://www.teriin.org/press-release/india-soon-set-voluntary-targets-combat-land-degradation">said</a> Umakant Prasad, Joint Secretary, Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development explained, the history of India's watershed development program. As much as 20.4 million hectares of India’s land is being treated and brought under the category of protective variation via watershed development. This <a href="https://www.reference.com/science/many-football-pitches-hectare-c79dcfb34def6acb">land</a> is as large as 140 football fields in size. Still, it is not enough. "As of now, we are planning to go for another 62-63 million hectares of land that needs to be treated," he said. The rapid land degradation Eight states in India are at high risk of facing desertification —Rajasthan, Delhi, Goa, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Nagaland, Tripura, and Himachal Pradesh. In these states, around 40-70% of land has already turned into a desert, said <a href="https://www.downtoearth.org.in/reviews/state-of-india-s-environment-2017-in-figures-ebook--57874">a report </a>by State of 'India's Environment report. In 2018, India lost 2.54% of its GDP to land degradation, <a href="https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/real-estate/nearly-30-of-indias-land-degraded-will-soon-set-voluntary-target-to-combat-it-environment-min-official-4295361.html">said </a>the report. “As much as 1.8 billion people in the world are going to face absolute water scarcity, and two-thirds of the world's population will be water-stressed," said United Nations. Even as the efforts have to be intensified, there is little that the government is able to do. An integrated watershed management programme was introduced in 2009. It came under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana soon after Narendra Modi came to power, in 2014. <a href="https://qz.com/india/1656211/indias-neglect-of-water-conservation-raises-spectre-of-drought/">Though the program is functional</a>, its funding fell by 35% in 2015-16, the first year of policy shift. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/A-solar-powered-system-can-turn-salt-water-into-fresh-drinking-water-for-25000-people-per-day-It-could-help-address-the-worlds-looming-water-crisis-/articleshow/70489069.cms">A solar-powered system can turn salt water into fresh drinking water for 25,000 people per day. It could help address the world's looming water crisis</a>. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/five-years-on-india-may-not-even-get-a-chance-to-solve-its-on-going-water-crisis-risking-hundreds-of-millions-of-lives/articleshow/69988627.cms">Five years on, India may not even get a chance to solve its on-going water crisis risking hundreds of millions of lives</a>

India treated land the size of 140 football fields from turning into a desert— but it's not enough

<ul><li>A study conducted by researchers at <keyword id="109073" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Duke-University">Duke University</keyword> found high levels of <keyword id="6357374" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="uranium">uranium</keyword> contamination in India’s groundwater supply. </li><li>The severity of uranium contamination has reached this stage due to the combined occurrence of natural and human factors.</li><li>The Bureau of Indian Standards’ Drinking Water Specifications doesn’t account for the amount of Uranium in water. </li></ul>Uranium, known for its radioactive properties, has been found in predominant quantities in India’s groundwater across 16 states. This is the <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/severe-uranium-contamination-in-indias-groundwater-study/article24122258.ece">first time</a> that the extent of uranium present in the country’s groundwater has been evaluated. According to a study in the Environmental Science and Technology Letters, the prevalence of uranium in the country’s groundwater is well above the acceptable standard set forth by the World Health Organisation (WHO). But, as of now, India doesn’t follow any <a href="https://mdws.gov.in/water-quality-monitoring-surveillance-wqms-0">standards</a> to monitor uranium levels. Uranium isn’t a new component that humans have introduced into their environment. In fact, it’s almost as <a href="http://teachnuclear.ca/all-things-nuclear/canadas-nuclear-history/uranium-mining/what-is-uranium/">common</a> as <keyword id="48468" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Carbon-dioxide">carbon dioxide</keyword>. It’s in the rocks, the water and the soil. And like carbon dioxide, it wasn’t particularly harmful until the onslaught of human activity. The age-old story of human impact Groundwater depletion and nitrate pollution are problems that India is already familiar with. But the study, by researchers of Duke University, suggests that human factors serve as a catalyst taking natural uranium levels to dangerous heights. Their analysis shows that water wells and aquifers, are both subjected to extreme uranium exposure. The water that flows in, has already traveled from the <keyword id="52569" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="himalayas">Himalayas</keyword> passing through uranium-rich granitic rocks along the way. Thus, the primary source of uranium is geogenic or naturally occurring. It’s only once this water is over-pumped from the aquifers that the anthropogenic, or the human aspect, of the cause-effect relationship is introduced into the equation. The water depletion, in turn, induces oxidation. Basically, whatever water’s left in the well gets enriched with uranium. But, not all human Though nature and humans bear the brunt of the problem, they’re not the only factors that determine the amount of uranium in the ground water. Using data from geochemical and uranium isotopes, the researchers were able to discern that other aspects like oxidation state, groundwater chemistry and <keyword id="1051228" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Aquifer">aquifer</keyword> rocks also had a part to play in the level of uranium. Since human and non-human contributions co-occur, an already bad problem is made worse. Despite the WHO setting a standard of 30 micrograms of uranium per litre, the chemical is yet to be introduced into the Bureau of Indian Standards’ Drinking Water Specifications. If nothing else, risk areas should be <a href="http://theconversation.com/before-the-us-approves-new-uranium-mining-consider-its-toxic-legacy-91204">identified</a> so that outbreaks of cancer and kidney failure can be avoided.

There’s too much uranium in India’s water, and nobody’s watching it

<ul><li>The <keyword id="6983392" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Baishui-Glaciers">Baishui glaciers</keyword>, which are known as the world’s Third Pole, are melting twice as fast as 2005. </li><li>The glaciers, situated between India and China, have lost 60% of their mass and shrunk by 250 meters since 1982. </li><li>The Ganges, Indus and Brahmaputra rivers in the <keyword id="873165" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-subcontinent">Indian subcontinent</keyword> all originate from these glaciers, whose melting could have dire consequences for the respective river basins. </li><li>The rivers currently enable states like West Bengal, Assam and Uttar Pradesh to be the largest agricultural producers in the country. </li></ul>A cluster of Chinese glaciers are melting at an unprecedented rate — and could have disastrous consequences for India. The Baishui glaciers are the world’s third-largest frozen area of water in the world, and are melting at double the rate since 2005. The disappearance of 60% of its mass, according to a report <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/melting-glacier-in-china-draws-tourists-climate-worries/2018/10/20/78aaef7a-d4d1-11e8-a4db-184311d27129_story.html?utm_term=.c5fe9c8a7319">published</a> in the <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/21562202">Journal of Geophysical Research</a>, could have disastrous consequences for India. Trouble for India The shrinking of the world’s ‘<a href="https://www.thethirdpole.net/en/about/">Third Pole</a>’ has immediate consequences of India. Temperatures in the region have increased by 1.5 degrees Celsius, as compared to pre-industrialisation levels, causing the glaciers to not only shrink by 250 meters but also lose 60% of their mass. More than 500 small glaciers in the area have also disappeared altogether. The glaciers are also the source of 10 of Asia’s largest rivers – including the Ganges, Brahmaputra and the Indus. Their melting has huge implications for these rivers, and could affect the livelihood of over 1.3 billion people. The most immediate effect will be on farmers, who depend on the melting waters of the glacier for the irrigation of water-intensive crops. In fact, rice, wheat and sugarcane account for 90% of India’s crop production are the <a href="https://www.oav.de/fileadmin/user_upload/5_Publikationen/5_Studien/170118_Study_Water_Agriculture_India.pdf">most water consuming</a> crops in India’s agricultural scene. The problem isn’t that excessive water will flood the fields and destroy crops. These rivers are already picketted with dams and irrigation canals that can handle the excess water. The issue is that <a href="https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/if-80-water-consumption-in-india-is-for-agriculture-why-is-it-unregulated-and-inefficient/">India’s agricultural water requirements</a> are barely being met, despite the immoderate water supply. So once this water runs out, the river basins will exclusively depend on <a href="https://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1306/1306.2709.pdf">monsoon rains</a> to replenish themselves. The underwater aquifers that are in place within agricultural regions are already struggling with their water tables. The use of water is so extensive in these regions that water is being used faster than it can be replaced. The fall in food production will, in turn, hurt India’s food security. The Ganges river basin, the largest in India, provides water to West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, the largest rice-producing states in the country. This isn’t good for a country whose population largely depends on rice as their staple diet. Even the production of wheat, sugarcane, jute and basic vegetables is threatened, as the primary regions where they are produced overlap with the affected river basins. Tea plantations in the northeast Indian state of Assam will also be affected, as the <keyword id="179908" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Brahmaputra-river">Brahmaputra river</keyword> irrigates them. The effects transcend India. The Third Pole expands over the Himalaya-Hindu Kush mountain range and the <keyword id="74610" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tibetan-plateau">Tibetan Plateau</keyword>, spelling bad news of India’s neighbours as well. Even, Pakistan needs to be on its toes, since 60% of the country depends on the <keyword id="162118" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indus-River">Indus river</keyword> for its irrigation requirements.

A glacier in China is melting at an unprecedented rate — but it is India that may end up paying the price

The <keyword id="6360789" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Modi-Government">Modi government</keyword>’s plan to develop 100 <keyword id="6377036" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="smart-cities">smart cities</keyword> has stirred a debate on its strategy or lack of it on the fate of the existing cities in the country. 
 
Over the years, lack of infrastructure and unplanned growth turned Indian cities into a real mess. While urbanisation has enhanced economic, social and political progress, it has resulted in socio-economic mismatch among people. Also, rapid growth of urban population has put enormous pressure on public utilities like housing, sanitation, transport, water and electricity besides pushing unemployment among rural immigrants. Urbanisation deserves immediate attention as according to reports by 2030, more than 50 % of India’s population is expected to live in urban areas. 
 
Urban sprawl, the expansion of the cities in terms of population and geographical area (which is rapidly taking over the precious agricultural land) has been one of the key problems which authorities failed to tackle. Continuous immigration from rural areas has consistently added to the size of the cities. This has led to a situation where economic base of most cities is incapable of dealing with the problems created by the huge growth of urban population. Metro cities are clear examples urban sprawl due to large scale migration of people from the different states, seeking employment opportunities. 
 
Unplanned growth has also resulted in overcrowding—a situation where too many people live in too little space. For instance, Mumbai has one-sixth of an acre open space per thousand people though four acre is considered normal. This kind of overcrowding leads to heavy pressure on infrastructural facilities. 
 
Overcrowding leads to shortage of houses in urban areas. Housing is a bigger issue in those cities where there is large influx of immigrants. According to a recent study, around 40% of all married couples in India do not have an independent room for themselves. Around 35% of families in urban areas live in one-room houses. About one third of urban Indian families have houses without a proper kitchen, bathroom and a toilet—and there is no supply of water or power in some cases. 
 
Overcrowded cities are a breeding ground for unemployment. According to an estimate, about 50% of all urban unemployed who are educated are concentrated in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. Though those living in cities earn more than those in the villages, their incomes are low considering the high cost of living in urban pockets. Unless government streamlines the large-scale migration to cities, unemployment in cities will continue to rise. 
 Another consequence of unplanned growth of urban areas is the spread of <keyword id="6367743" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="slums">slums</keyword>. In the recent years, industrialisation has led to rapid urbanisation which has resulted in undeterred growth of slums. 
 
A slew of reasons such as the large influx of rural migrants to the cities, the shortage of land for housing development and high prices of land contribute to the growth of slums. No wonder, this has been exerting huge pressure on civic amenities and infrastructure. 
Inadequate transportation is another challenge faced by people living in cities. As cities grow, more people are required to travel to work or shop, leading to clogged roads and unending traffic jams. 
 
Scarcity of drinking water is perhaps the biggest challenge thrown up by haphazard development of cities in India. In fact, no city in India gets sufficient water to meet the needs of city dwellers. In many cities, people get water from the municipal sources for less than half an hour every alternative day. In dry summer season, taps remain dry for days together. 
 
This in addition to growing problems of lack of proper sewerage management, trash disposal and pollution besides surging crime rates in cities. It is high time the government figured out whether developing select smart cities or solving the litany of problems faced by people living in existing cities should be its priority. 
 
Image: thinkstock

Smart Cities Are Good Idea, But What About Existing Ones?

<ul><li><keyword id="7978681" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="av-organics">AV Organics</keyword>, a startup based out of Vadodara, has a new product called <keyword id="7978684" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="evocus">Evocus</keyword> which is a black coloured drinking water. </li><li><keyword id="7978683" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="black-alkaline-water">Black alkaline water</keyword> is a popular concept abroad but is still in its infant stages in India. </li><li>The alternative to water is high in nutrients and has multiple health benefits that are yet to be fully proven.</li></ul>Black alkaline water has been a popular concept in many countries but in India, the idea of a black coloured water is new if not strange. But the 30-year old Aakash Vaghela who brought the product to India is excited about the prospects. Vaghela set up a startup AV Organics in 2018, and launched black alkaline water under the brand ‘Evocus’ in June this year. “I was studying the benefits of alkaline water when I started looking for its availability in India. I was surprised to see a handful of companies producing it at a very small scale,” Aakash Vaghela, founder of AV Organics told Business Insider. Alkaline water has a pH level more than 7. Even though it’s not been proven yet, it is reported to have <a href="https://www.livemint.com/mint-lounge/features/the-truth-about-alkaline-water-1548405860287.html">many benefits</a> – it has over 70 minerals with high pH level – like better metabolism and digestion, faster absorption of oxygen, detoxification, and many more. However, in India, it costs ₹100 a bottle, which can be considered a steep price for water. So, it’s expensive and less known. Vaghela is not putting all his eggs in this basket. He also runs his own real estate company in Vadodara. Fade to black As he jumped into the business of <keyword id="1773477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="black-water">black water</keyword>, he found other problems too– normal water when turned into alkaline returns back to normal in 72 hours. One can’t sell something like that. That’s when a US-based Dr. Norbert Chirase, who holds a PhD in Nutrition from Texas A&amp;M University, came to the rescue, providing scientific knowhow and technical expertise for product development. “Now, we source the minerals from the US and then at our manufacturing facility in Vadodara, we use these minerals to enrich the water. They hold the alkalinity of the water for over 12 months,” Vaghela said. Evocus – Labeled as a ‘nutrient water’ – is currently available in Pune (100 stores), Chandigarh (40), and Ahmedabad as well as on Amazon. Long way to go However, there is no awareness regarding alkaline water in India, so Vaghela has to build his brand as well as the product category. But he isn’t paying for expensive hoardings or television ads. Instead, online influencers get the increasingly health-conscious Indians, who can afford to pay 100 bucks a bottle, to look at black alkaline water. The premium water market is increasing in India with big brands like <a href="https://www.livemint.com/Companies/q8f66UTrWH4qvJ3tkEmlzO/CocaCola-to-launch-premium-water-brand-Smartwater.html">Coca Cola</a> too entering the space.

‘Black drinking water’ at ₹100 a bottle – a 30-year old Gujarati realtor’s new business idea for India's healthy brigade

<ul><li>The focus in agriculture should shift from ‘land productivity’ to ‘irrigation water productivity’, the economic survey says.</li><li>“The costs of installation of MI systems can be a disincentive unless subsidies are given by the government to small and marginal farmers.”</li><li>India grows a lot of water intensive crops. Minimum support prices (MSPs) and electricity and water subsidies offered to some crops like sugar have caused the cropping imbalance.</li></ul>Saving water has to become a national priority in order to avert the looming water crisis of the country, according to economic survey tabled in the Parliament on Thursday. “The focus in agriculture should shift from ‘land productivity’ to ‘irrigation water productivity’. Therefore, devising policies to incentivise farmers to adopt efficient ways of water use should become a national priority,” the survey said. In fact states which have high land productivity like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh which have high land productivity have low irrigation water productivity. Looming Water Crisis India is heading towards water insecurity and fast. Apart from many other factors, the country uses 89% of its groundwater to grow crops. The economic survey released by the government says that use of micro-irrigation (MI) is extremely important. And it wants the large number of small and marginal farmers who own a major chunk of farm lands to adopt it. “The costs of installation of MI systems can be a disincentive unless subsidies are given by the government to small and marginal farmers,” the economic survey said. Micro irrigation can also be a panacea that solve many other problems that small farmers face. “States with penetration of MI systems and improved adoption of micro irrigation systems have almost 40- 50% savings in energy and fertiliser consumption,” the survey said pointing to all its benefits. Cropping Imbalance The survey also believes that the cropping patterns too change to improve productivity of new irrigation systems. India grows a lot of water intensive crops. Minimum support prices (MSPs) and electricity and water subsidies offered to some crops like sugar have caused the cropping imbalance. “The water guzzlers, paddy and sugarcane, consume more than 60% of irrigation water available in the country, thereby reducing water availability for other crops,” the survey said. See Also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/2019-economic-survey-shows-how-india-can-become-a-5-trillion-economy-by-fy25/articleshow/70068947.cms">India's latest economic survey lays down the bare essentials for the economy to hit $5 trillion by 2025</a>

Give money to farmers who save water, India’s chief economic advisor tells government

While a significant proportion of the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=EARTH&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">earth’s</a> surface is covered with <keyword id="15300" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="Water">water</keyword>, only a miniscule fraction of it is available for sustenance of life; the remaining being either saline water or frozen in glaciers or the ice caps. This highlights the importance of conservation of freshwater sources such as the surface water found in rivers, lakes, and wetlands and groundwater, found underground in soil, sand and rocks. Figure 1.1 shows the distribution of water in various forms on <keyword id="6359982" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="earth">earth</keyword>. 
 
 
 The endowment of the freshwater resources varies across the world. In 2014, out of the total world internal renewable freshwater resources, Latin America and Caribbean had the highest share of 32 per cent, followed by the East Asia and Pacific (24 per cent), Europe and Central Asia (17 per cent), North America (13 per cent), Sub-Saharan Africa (9 per cent), South Asia (5 per cent) and Middle East and North Africa (1 per cent). Further, the world withdraws about 9 per cent of its freshwater annually for meeting the needs of its agriculture, industrial and domestic sectors; with agriculture sector abstracting a predominant share of 60 per cent of the freshwater, while industry’s share is 22 per cent and domestic sector’s share is 18 per cent (<keyword id="6354424" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="World-Bank">World Bank</keyword>, 2014) 
 
Moreover, countries show differences in their sectoral shares of extraction of freshwater, for instance, the LDCs withdraw relatively more freshwater for agriculture, as compared to the developed countries which use water more for energy production and large industry. For instance lower middle income countries such as India withdraw 90 per cent of its freshwater for agriculture, while high income countries such as the US extract 46 per cent of its freshwater for industry, 14 per cent for domestic needs and only the remaining 40 percent for agriculture. (World Bank, 2014) 
 
Further, since the 1980s, freshwater withdrawals have increased globally at a rate of 1 per cent per year, primarily due to demand arising in developing countries. Growing demand and vulnerable supply of water, has led to the problem of water scarcity in these countries, with the agriculture being the most affected sector of these economies. The severity of water scarcity varies in these countries from “absolute water scarcity” to “regular water stress”, based on the per capita availability of renewable water per year. A country faces “absolute water scarcity “if per capita renewable water per year drops below 500 m3, ,while it is in “regular water stress” if per capita renewable water per year stays between 1000m3 and 1700 m3. A country is said to be in “chronic water scarcity” when water supply drops below 1000m3 per capita per year. While countries such as India, Pakistan ,Uzbekistan , Ethiopia, Somalia, and Nigeria face regular water stress, countries such as Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman and UAE face absolute water scarcity (FAO-Acquastat, 2015). Water scarcity in these countries has resulted not just from climatic factors, but also has been a result of lack of proper infrastructure in place for the storage of water during the times of surplus water supply. A well developed storage infrastructure for buffering water along with good governance in ensuring water resource management is essential to overcome the ongoing <keyword id="6355836" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="water-crisis">water crisis</keyword> in these countries. Moreover, emphasis should be given on ensuring quality of water as poor quality further compounds the problem of water scarcity. Degraded water quality costs Middle Eastern and North African countries between 0.5 per cent and 2.5 per cent of annual <keyword id="35050" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="gdp">GDP</keyword> (World Bank, 2007). Further, transboundary nature of most of the river basins makes regional dialogues between the countries imperative. 
 
Another major concern that has been faced globally is the over extraction of groundwater reserves that has been further aggravated by the water loss due to leakage. While about 38 per cent of the irrigated areas globally make use of the groundwater (Siebert et al., 2013); nearly 30 per cent of water is lost on account of leakage (Kingdom et al., 2006; Danilenko et al., 2014). This highlights the criticality of making an optimum use of the water resources worldwide. 
 
Considering the global importance of water reserves, the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=UN&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">United Nation’s(UN)</a> 2030 agenda for sustainable development incorporates water at the core of its Sustainable Development Goals, and goes beyond the previously developed Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) (2000-2015) to now cover the entire water cycle from drinking water and basic sanitation to address broader issues such as water quality and wastewater management, water scarcity and related efficient usage of water, integrated water resource management and protection and restoration of water related ecosystems. 
 
(This article has been co-authored by Deepti Mathur, who is with the Social Progress Initiative India)

The Water Crisis and Criticality of Water Resource Management

Forget about defining the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Line+of+Actual+Control+">Line of Actual Control</a> and addressing the issue of Chinese intrusion into Indian territories as <keyword id="1334" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="China">China</keyword> has now given birth to a new issue which could further widen gaps between the two countries. 
 It has now operationalised the $1.5 billion Zam <keyword id="2398983" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="hydropower-station">Hydropower Station</keyword>, which has raised concerns in India over the likelihood of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=disrupting+water+supplies">disrupting water supplies</a>. 
 The dam, the largest in <keyword id="6364076" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Tibet">Tibet</keyword>, built on the Brahmaputra river, also raised concerns in India over <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=China">China's ability to release water in times of conflict</a> which could pose serious risk of flooding. 
 
The China Gezhouba Group, a major hydropower contractor based in Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province said on Tuesday that all six of the stations’ units were incorporated into the power grid. 
 
Located in the Gyaca County, Shannan Prefecture, the Zam Hydropower Station also known as Zangmu Hydropower Station, harnesses the rich water resources of Brahmaputra known in Tibet as Yarlung Zangbo River, a major river which flows through Tibet into India and later into Bangladesh. 
 
The dam considered to be the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=hydropower+station+">world's highest-altitude hydropower station</a> and the largest of its kind will produce produces 2.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity a year. 
 
According to the company, it would alleviate the electricity shortage in central Tibet and empower the development of the electricity-strapped region. It is also an important energy base in central Tibet. 
 
Investment of the hydropower station, about 140 kms from Tibetan capital Lhasa, totaled 9.6 billion yuan (about $1.5 billion). 
 
The first unit began operations last November. 
 
The problem for India does not end here as China is reportedly building few more dams. The country seeks to allay Indian fears saying that they are the run-of-the-river projects which were not designed to hold water. 
 
An Indian Inter-Ministerial Expert Group (IMEG) on the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=hydropower+station+">Brahmaputra</a> in 2013 said the dams were being built on the upper reaches and called for further monitoring considering their impact on the flow of waters to the lower reaches. 
 
The IMEG noted that the three dams, Jiexu, Zangmu and Jiacha are within 25 kms of each other and are 550 kms from the Indian border. 
 
India has been taking up the issue with China for the past few years the two countries reached an understanding in 2013. Chinese side agreed to provide more flood data of Brahmaputra from May to October instead of June to October in the previous agreements river water agreements in 2008 and 2010. 
 India is concerned that if the waters are diverted, then projects on the Brahmaputra, particularly the <keyword id="743602" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Upper-Siang">Upper Siang</keyword> and Lower Suhansri projects in <keyword id="46408" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Arunachal-Pradesh">Arunachal Pradesh</keyword>, may get affected. 
 
(Image: Indiatimes)

A reason to worry for! China operationalises biggest dam on Brahmaputra in Tibet

<ul><li>The monsoon rains have finally arrived in Chennai but they aren’t enough to solve the water problem. </li><li>However, the rainfall deficit has started shrinking over the past two days because of light showers. </li><li>For the last six months, the 5 million city residents have been facing drought as monsoons played truant </li></ul>The monsoons have finally arrived to the parched city of Chennai, and <a href="https://weather.com/en-IN/india/monsoon/news/2019-07-22-rain-relief-continues-chennai-deficit-shrinks-to-7">its residents are enjoying the light showers.</a> While it is a huge relief, it is nowhere close to solving the water crisis that the city is facing. Over the next two days, these rains will remain light, according to <a href="http://www.imd.gov.in/pages/city_weather_show.php">the India Meteorological Department. </a>This year, Chennai’s rainfall deficit was around 45%, which has started shrinking. 
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 For the last six months, the 5 million city residents have been facing drought as monsoons played truant. Normally, Chennai would receive 140 mm of annual rainfall but this year the whole state recorded a deficit of 28% since June 1. The monsoon, that is supposed to begin from June 1, and was later like it was across the country. Four years back, the city was flooded due to cyclones in the Bay of Bengal. As many as 500 died and 1.8 million people had to move. In 2019, however the city had the problem which is just the opposite. The city went without rain for 200 days this year. <div type="twitter" handle="blkahn" handlename="Brian Kahn" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1105108878683975682/pprDXs0O_normal.png" favoritecount="10057" retweetcount="8888" status="The timelapse imagery of Chennai's disappearing reservoirs is mind boggling. That's roughly 3 billion cubic feet of… https://t.co/ARZQpVdxr2" createdat="1561153731000" id="1142187650499121152"></div>
 The Price of Water As the city’s reservoirs dried up, water became an expensive commodity. So much so, that its more expensive than petrol. Residents are reportedly paying ₹80-100 for a 20 litre drinking water can, nearly ₹4 more than the price of petrol. Those few who could afford, <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/chennai-news/chennai-water-crisis-from-rs-2-000-to-rs-4-500-the-price-chennai-residents-pay-for-water-2067372">even paid</a> ₹75,000 for a month, to get a water tanker right to their homes. The local authorities are bringing water into the city via <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/the-first-special-train-carrying-more-than-2-million-litre-of-water-reaches-chennai/articleshow/70192058.cms">a special train, and distributing it.</a> Chennai Metro Water also started providing water at ₹700 for every 9000 litres. However, to avail of this, many of them wait for as long as three to four weeks to receive the supply. Ultimately, they would have no choice but to pay up or remain thirsty.

Chennai gets monsoon showers, but its too little to solve the water crisis

<ul><li>IT companies in Chennai have asked their employees to work from home for the next 100 days. </li><li>The move will address the existing water scarcity in the city. </li><li>12 companies have asked 5,000 employees to work according to their convenience, from anywhere.</li></ul>Owing to water shortage, IT companies in India are asking their employees to ‘work from home’ for the next 100 days, <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/no-water-work-from-home-it-cos-tell-staff/articleshow/69763283.cms?utm_source=whatsapp&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=TOI_whatsbroadcast&amp;utm_content=2019_06_13&amp;from=mdr">according to TOI.</a> Nearly 12 IT companies in Chennai have asked over 5,000 of its employees to work according to their convenience, as long as they meet their targets. This is due to lack of rainfall in the city for over 200 days now. The situation is expected to remain the same for the next three months. “The last time IT companies asked employees to work from home was during a strike called by private tankers, four years back,” TOI reported citing sources. Over half (55%) of the large IT companies in the metro already depend on recycled water sources. However, offices also consume high amount of water for air conditioning. IT firms have been taking various steps to address the water problem. While a few organisations have asked employees to bring their own drinking water, others have put up posters on conservation. The 600 IT and ITeS firms on OMR (Old Mahabalipuram Road) employ nearly 320,000 professionals. The OMR area consumes 30 million litres of water daily — with 20 million litres going straight to the IT park and other companies. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/in-india-flexibility-overpowers-pay-hike-on-job-change/articleshow/67975325.cms">In India, employees are prioritising ‘remote work policy’ while taking up a job — and will even take a pay cut</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/always-on-work-culture-is-affecting-mental-health-of-indians/articleshow/69522649.cms">‘Always On’ work culture is affecting mental health of Indians</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/indians-will-prefer-to-learn-a-new-skill-if-they-have-a-four-days-work-week-survey/articleshow/68516702.cms">Indians were asked what they would do in their free time if they could work for four days a week — and their answers are unexpected</a>

5,000 IT employees in Chennai are working from home because offices have run out of water

<ul><li>India is facing two extreme weather conditions together— drought and floods. </li><li>One corner of the country — Assam and parts of Bihar is fighting heavy floods. Others like <keyword id="12864" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chennai">Chennai</keyword> and Hyderabad are running dry, due to light or no showers at all.</li><li>The seasonal monsoon rains which are supposed to start in June were late in almost every part of the country.</li></ul>India is facing two extreme weather conditions together — heavy floods and drought. That is affecting millions of people, particularly the poor. These extreme weather conditions will weaken the economic productivity, in addition to wreaking destruction, and displacing a large number of people. The seasonal monsoon rains which are supposed to start in June were late in almost every part of the country. One corner of the country — Assam and parts of Bihar is fighting heavy floods. Others like Chennai and Hyderabad are running dry, due to light or no showers at all. Too Little, too late India’s monsoon is crucial as it accounts for 70% of its annual rainfall. If the monsoons are lower or slower, it leads to water crisis, due to its almost exclusive dependence on it. The government think tank NITI Aayog expects as many as 21 cities to be devoid of ground water by 2020. Cities are running dry one after the other.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/five-years-on-india-may-not-even-get-a-chance-to-solve-its-on-going-water-crisis-risking-hundreds-of-millions-of-lives/articleshow/69988627.cms"> First Chennai went dry and with less or no drinking water for its citizens</a>. Now, the twin cities of Hyderabad and <keyword id="6354398" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="secunderabad">Secunderabad</keyword> — <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/water-crisis-hyderabad-may-not-have-drinking-water-in-next-48-days/articleshow/70223928.cms">have less than two months to go for monsoon to fix its water problems</a>. And, they are already late and lower than expected. Water crisis has become common almost every year. In 2018, 600 million Indians were exposed to acute water crisis, according to Niti Aayog. In 2017, five south Indian states faced water shortages like Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Too Much Uncertain weather patterns brought too much rain leading floods and landslides in Assam. At least 28 districts in Assam are affected. So far, 30 people have been reported dead and 5.8 million displaced due to monsoon floods in Assam. The water level of Brahmaputra continues to rise above the danger mark in at least 10 places, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-southasia-floods/millions-stranded-in-india-as-early-monsoon-downpours-bring-flood-havoc-idUSKCN1UC1E2">reported Reuters</a>, citing Assam Disaster Management Authority. People are forced to drink dirty water and eat anything they get. Parts of Bihar too are flooded, forcing evacuation of affected residents. Separately, a second spell of monsoon is likely to bring extremely heavy rains in the coming days in Kerala. Six districts in the state including Idukki, <keyword id="69399" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Malappuram">Malappuram</keyword>, and Wayanad are <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/high-alert-in-six-districts-of-kerala-idukki-malappuram-wayanad-thrissur-kannur-for-heavy-rainfall/articleshow/70256251.cms">on high alert from 18 July to 20 July. </a> Last year in August 2018, Kerala was swept away by deadly monsoon rains taking as many as 504 lives. The state, was caught off guard and 3.4 million people were displaced. In all, 23 million people were affected at the price of $2.7 billion, reported India spend. Unexpected weather conditions have been dogging the country for a few years now. Two years back, heavy rains and widespread flooding across India, Bangladesh and Nepal led to death of 1,200 people. As many as 805,183 homes and 18 million people were affected in Northern India. The total damages and destructions by the floods in 2017 were $2.5 billion, according to Central Water Commission. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/water-crisis-hyderabad-may-not-have-drinking-water-in-next-48-days/articleshow/70223928.cms">India’s water crisis deepens as Hyderabad might run out of water, like Chennai</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/five-years-on-india-may-not-even-get-a-chance-to-solve-its-on-going-water-crisis-risking-hundreds-of-millions-of-lives/articleshow/69988627.cms">Five years on, India may not even get a chance to solve its on-going water crisis risking hundreds of millions of lives</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/high-alert-in-six-districts-of-kerala-idukki-malappuram-wayanad-thrissur-kannur-for-heavy-rainfall/articleshow/70256251.cms">The weatherman has warned of heavy rains in Kerala, which just got $250 million World Bank aid to recover from last year's floods</a>

Bone dry or deluge — the freakish monsoon is killing Indians either way

<ul><li>The central government is set to launch <keyword id="7815662" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jal-Shakti-Abhiyan">Jal Shakti Abhiyan</keyword> to fight water crisis problems in the country. </li><li>The campaign will work out measures for <keyword id="6354898" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rainwater-harvesting">rainwater harvesting</keyword> and <keyword id="6362691" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="water-conservation">water conservation</keyword> efforts in 255 districts from July 1 to September 15, in its first phase and would be coordinated by central government IAS officers as decisions relating to water is a state issue. </li><li>The second phase will run from October 1 to November 30 in states that receive rains from the north-east monsoon. </li><li>Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on June 22, wrote letters to village panchayat heads and urged them to undertake rainwater harvesting and water conservation efforts in rural India. </li></ul>The new finance minister <keyword id="129243" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> will present the Union Budget for 2019-20 in the Parliament on July 5. Just days before, Prime Minister Narendra Modi set the tone for the big announcement likely on Friday by initiating the ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan’, a project to conserve water through rainwater harvesting and other efforts to save water. Amid the high temperatures and severe water crisis, the country is going through, it would be among government’s main agenda to tackle the rapidly increasing water issues throughout the country, The major cities of India like Chennai and Bengaluru were recently in the news due to severe water crisis. The story of rural India is more frightening where 80% of rural homes does not have piped water supply. Only 18% of 17.9 million rural homes have tap water. The central government in efforts to deal with water related issues had merged the water resources and drinking water and sanitation ministries and formed the Jal Shakti Ministry. The new ministry, which has the decision making power over all international and interstate water disputes, the Clean Ganga project, and making drinking water accessible, will be hopeful of a handsome budget to deal with the The government is also set to launch the Jal Shakti Abhiyan to workout measures for rainwater harvesting and water conservation from July 1 in a phased manner, under the supervision of central government IAS officers of Joint or Additional Secretary-level in 255 districts. It seeks to work out measures for rainwater harvesting and water conservation efforts in 255 districts of the country starting July 1, 2019. The campaign is planned in a phased manner, where the first phase starts on July 1 and would run till September 15 in states receiving rainfall during the south-west monsoon, and would be coordinated by the IAS officers of Joint or Additional Secretary-rank from the 255 districts. The next phase will kickstart from October 1 and run till November 30 and will cover states that receive rainfall during the north-east monsoon. As water is not central government issue and state governments are free to decide upon policies for usage and water conservation, the officers will be drawn from various ministries of Government of India, including the Department of Space, Petroleum and Defence, <a href="https://dopt.gov.in/sites/default/files/31-16-2019-EOMM-I.pdf">according to the Department of Personnel and Training</a>. Prior to the launch of the campaign, high level teams were constituted in the 255 districts, and engineers and technical staff was designated in 1,539 blocks across the country to measure ground water levels, the state of aquifers, and ponds and water bodies under encroachment. India’s population is 17.74% of the total world population, whereas the water resources account for a mere 4%. This combined with ever increasing demand and depleting water sources due to encroachment, contamination and reduced rainfall, puts India in a grave situation. “As of today, India only conserves 8% of all rainfall, which is among the lowest in the world,” <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/under-jal-shakti-scheme-centre-to-focus-on-replenishing-water-bodies/story-heKzqsW0IzPfY0lwi9OjxI.html">a senior Jal Shakti official said</a>.”we need to change this.” In line with Gram Swaraj Abhiyan The Jal Shakti Abhiyan is in line with last year’s Gram Swaraj Abhiyan, where central government officials monitored the implementation of seven flagship development schemes in 117 districts across the country. To further achieve its target, the ministry will draft block and district level water conservation plans and the Kisan Vigyan Kendras would organise fests to promote better crop choices and more efficient usage of water for irrigation. To spread awareness about the campaign, major communications campaign on TV, radio, social media would be carried out, for which celebrities will also be roped in. The prime minister, on June 22, wrote letters to all village panchayat heads, and urged them to undertake rainwater harvesting and water conservation activities in rural India, <a href="http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=190639">as per PIB release</a>. “In the last four years, nearly 50,000 villages have used MGNREGA [rural income guarantee act] and other state funds to successfully conserve rain water in a big way,” rural development secretary <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/under-jal-shakti-scheme-centre-to-focus-on-replenishing-water-bodies/story-heKzqsW0IzPfY0lwi9OjxI.html">Amarjeet Sinha was quoted saying</a>. The government is also likely to announce a national water conservation policy along with a conservation programme for the 226 highly water stressed districts of the country, an official said. Plans with the MPs to prioritise water storage works under their local area development fund are also underway. “Any national policy on water has to pivot around ground water because “ground water is India’s water lifeline”. Secondly, he said there is a complete policy vacuum on the urban water sector and India urgently needs a programme to regulate its urban-water footprint,” said Himanshu Thakkar of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People.

You Searched For "water problem in india" and got 13 results

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Chennai gets monsoon showers, but its too little to solve the water crisis

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