New Delhi: Water availability in India has been depleting for decades, leaving many parts with no water supply at all, closing factories and marginalizing farmers. The country may be unable to meet half of its water demand by 2030. A new book warns.
In the book “Watershed: How We Destroyed India’s Water and How We Can Save It”, Mridula Ramesh highlights the past and present situation regarding water in India and also underscores why it is important to secure its future now. Is. Ramesh has warned that the water crisis in India may deepen further.
This book throws light on the factors that have led India to this crisis. The book also covers topics ranging from extreme weather events and farmers’ protests to water-related geo-politics, clean technology in the country today with a history of 5000 years.
The book, published by Hachette India, states, “The way crops are grown in India has changed in the last 150 years. From a predominantly millet growing country in the 19th century, we have now become a rice and wheat producing country.” Ramesh said the agriculture sector is India’s biggest user of water and this change puts a huge strain on water as the country’s large grain-growing states of Punjab and Haryana do not receive much rainfall.
“This transformation requires huge spending on dams and canals, which naturally makes urban water supplies expensive,” the book says. Given India’s growing population, urbanization and wealth, almost half of India’s total water demand will not be met by 2030.”
Ramesh has said that hydrographic survey should be started with regard to water supply, rainwater harvesting capacity, water wastage, treated and reused water.(Agency)