What are the main causes of water scarcity?

Water is a valuable natural resource available to mankind. Water scarcity

refers to a situation wherein freshwater supply is not adequate to meet the
needs of the people. Water scarcity usually occurs because of inadequate or
low rainfall. Rain water is the most important source of fresh water. In regions
with low rainfall, the groundwater is not recharged; rivers get dried up, thereby
resulting in water scarcity. However, the most common cause of water scarcity
is over-exploitation of water resources. Large scale industrialization and
urbanization has considerably increased the consumption of water, thereby
resulting in scarcity of water. Expansion of agriculture is another factor that
adds to the scarcity of water. Hence, the use of water in a way that its
consumption exceeds its replenishment is the main cause of water scarcity.
How are industrialization and urbanization responsible for causing water
scarcity?
India, after independence, has been on a path of rapid industrialization and
subsequent urbanization. These developmental attributes have caused water
scarcity in India to a considerable extent. Big industrial houses require large
amount of water for various purposes. The power requirement in industries is
enormous, which is sometimes met by the generation of hydroelectric power.
Industrial effluents are the main cause of water pollution. They contaminate
fresh water, thereby making it unfit for human consumption.
A direct consequence of industrialization is urbanization. Large scale
migration of people to urban centres; changing urban lifestyles and
multiplying urban centres all have added to the problem of water scarcity. The
demand for water is more than its supply, thereby causing water scarcity.
Why is conservation of water essential? How can we conserve water?
Water scarcity has become a serious problem in the 21st century. Hence,
conservation of water is of utmost importance for human survival. Almost all
forms of life depend on water. In other words, life will end in the absence of
water. Conservation of water is essential for maintaining a proper hydrological
cycle, ensuring timely rainfall and maintaining the availability of fresh water in
rivers and other sources. Conservation of water is essential for securing food
grain production and sustaining various life-forms. Water can be conserved by
various methods. The most effective means of conserving water is rainwater
harvesting, which involves collecting rainwater and storing it for further use.
Water can also be conserved by checking our day-to-day habits and ensuring
that there is no wastage of water. Innovative irrigation techniques such as drip
irrigation also help in water conservation to a great extent.
What do you understand by rainwater harvesting? Is it an effective means of
water conservation?
Rainwater harvesting refers to the collection of rainwater in big reservoirs in
order to use it for future human consumption. Rainwater harvesting system
has been prevalent in India since ancient times as an effective method of water
conservation. There are two methods of rainwater harvesting: groundwater
harvesting and rooftop water harvesting. In India, rooftop rainwater harvesting
is more prevent, especially in water-deficient states such as Rajasthan and
Karnataka. Rainwater that falls on the rooftop is collected in an underground
reservoir through a pipe and the collected water is filtered using sand and
bricks. The water so collected can be used for human consumption or for
recharging hand pumps or increasing the groundwater table.
Explain the system of drip irrigation.
Drip irrigation is one of the most commonly practised water conservation
techniques. It involves the irrigation of plants by channelizing water to their
roots and irrigating them drop-by-drop. In India, drip irrigation system is
widely practised in Meghalaya, wherein long bamboo pipes are tied together to
form a channel-like structure beginning from the stream and ending at the
roots of the plant. By these bamboo pipes, stream water is transported to the
site of plants without any wastage, thereby irrigating the fields effectively. Drip
irrigation is the main method of irrigation in the water-deficient regions of
Israel too.
Write a short note on Narmada Bachao Andolan.
Narmada Bachao Andolan is a non-governmental organization (NGO) that
came into being as a protest movement against the Sardar Sarovar Dam on
Narmada River in Gujarat. The movement opposed the building of the dam
because of its ill effects on the surrounding environment. The movement was
started in 1989 by social activist Medha Patkar, demanding a stay on the
construction of Sardar Sarovar Dam as it would submerge the nearby forests,
thereby causing great harm to wildlife. The Narmada Bachao Andolan
mobilized tribes and village people along with environmentalists and adopted
the Gandhian methods of protest. Narmada Bachao Andolan is also focussing
on the issue of displacement of poor village folks because of the submergence
of villages by dam water. Their rehabilitation is a major issue taken up by
Narmada Bachao Andolan activists.
Write a short note on Kaveri River water dispute.
Kaveri River water dispute is the most famous river water dispute in India. The
river originates in Karnataka and flows through Kerala and Tamil Nadu before
falling into the Bay of Bengal. The main bone of contention is regarding the
sharing of water between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The dispute has its origin
in two agreements signed during the British era. The dispute could not be
settled by innumerable negotiations among the states involved. Hence, in
1990, a Kaveri River Water Dispute Tribunal was set up by the Government of
India. The Tribunal gave its final award in 2007, allotting fixed quantities of
water to each disputing state. However, even the award of the Tribunal has not
settled the dispute completely as the states involved are trying to rake up the
issue further and are demanding greater share than what was allotted to them
by the Tribunal.
What do you understand by multipurpose projects? In what way are they
contributing to Indias development? Name some of the major multipurpose
projects in India.
The river valley projects that serve more than one purpose are called
multipurpose river valley projects. The multiple uses of multipurpose river
valley projects include generation of hydro-electric power, supply of irrigation
water and drinking water, flood control etc. A multipurpose river valley project
constitutes a series of dams built across a particular river and its tributaries to
cater to the specific requirements of the surrounding areas.
In India, multipurpose projects started after independence to transform India
into a industrialized nation and to achieve its developmental goals. The
contribution of multipurpose projects has been immense in Indias
development. They have provided irrigation facilities to the agricultural sector,
thereby resulting in good production. Also, the generation of hydro-electric
power has enabled India to establish many large scale industries which would
not have been possible if there was a power shortage. The supply of clean
drinking water to various water-deficient areas has helped in urbanization of
India.
Some of the important multipurpose projects in India include Bhakra-Nangal
Project on River Sutluj, Hirakud Project on River Mahanadi, Chambal Project
on River Chambal and Sardar Sarovar Project on River Narmada.
Multipurpose river valley projects are more a pain than a gain. Elaborate the
above statement giving adequate reasons for the same.
ultipurpose river valley projects are a major contributor to Indias developing
economy and they are often considered to be the propellants of Indias
industrial growth. However, they have often come under sharp criticism their
negative effects on the environment.
The greatest disadvantage of multipurpose projects is the harm they cause to
the environment. Obstructing the natural flow of rivers for the purpose of
building dams creates inhospitable conditions for the marine life, which
results in the death of many aquatic animals and plants. Also, big reservoirs
submerge the adjoining fertile flood plains causing great loss of agricultural
land. Many river valley projects such as the Sardar Sarovar have submerged
the nearby forests, thus contributing to the depletion of Indias forest
resources. Another major disadvantage of multipurpose projects is the large
scale displacement of people. The local communities have to leave their
villages, their livelihood and their ties to make way for these projects. Their
rehabilitation is a major issue that is being raised by several social activists
such as Medha Patkar. The people who give up their land for the good of the
nation are the ones suffering the most as after their displacement. In most
cases, they are not provided proper food and shelter. All this and more has
disillusioned the common people about the advantages of multipurpose
projects. For the masses who suffer the aftermath of these multipurpose
projects, these projects are more a pain than a gain.
On a map of India, indicate the locations of
(a) Bhakhra-Nangal Dam
(b) Hirakud Dam
(c) Sardar Sarovar Dam
Also, name the rivers on which they are built.