Water Management in India - Research Paper Example

Water Management in India Water Management in India is a tough balancing act involving several initiatives, organizations and practices. At the centre of the water administration in the Indian subcontinent is the preservation of water towers along with guaranteeing a steady supply of the crucial commodity. Sadly, India is yet to achieve the optimum water supply level as studies paint a grim picture of water supply in India. Recent research has pointed towards the lack of adequate water supply in many Indian towns. However, government, community based organizations, non governmental organizations along with global organizations play great role in ensuring the increased access to water by majority Indians. The challenges of water management in India stem from resource problems whereby the protection of water sources is yet to be effective. Deforestation along with other hazardous activities threatens the water sources of the Asian giant. Moreover, infrastructural parameters hinder the achievement of full access to water by many residents of India. Though, the water problem in India is more visible in cities particularly slums. As a result, numerous organizations both local and international along with government agencies have focused on water supply in slum areas. The management of water in India is closely related to hygiene because the access to water is the only way to guarantee good hygiene in the society. Therefore, improving water supply is considered central towards enhancing the standards of hygiene. This paper evaluates water management in India through a number of perspectives to bring out the current state of water administration in the Indian subcontinent along with its relevant effects on life. Primary issues will be listed and discussed regarding how they influence water management. Major organizations in the process of water administration will be discussed. One of the primary issues in India regarding water management is the utilization of water for agricultural purposes. Owing to the unreliable weather of India, certain areas are dependant of water for irrigation purposes. The insufficiency of rain makes farmers to become dependant on water supply for agricultural use. A number of organizations have identified this as a major issue affecting water management in the subcontinent. Nestle along with IWMI are working together to boost the supply of water for better agricultural production, their activities can be traced in Punjab. The availability of clean drinking water is another crucial pillar in the water management in India because of its ability to guarantee sanitation and good health. Several organizations local, global and governmental are involved on the provision of clean drinking water particularly for slum dwellers. In essence, water supply in India is driven by sanitation ideals whereby the access to water is directly related to hygiene and health of any given area. Therefore, urban areas are being targeted in the supply of water since they are more prone to water bone and communicable diseases. The protection of springs of water in India is at the centre of water administration in the sense that the sources of water are the most important because without them there will be no water for the whole country. Planting trees around water sources and minimizing human or industrial activity is central to water security in India. As a result, global agencies along with local organizations in conjunction with the government play a significant role in the protection of water towers for conservation purposes. The entire measure of land in India is approximately 300 million hectares and vast of the nation’s water supply is derived from the Himalayas (Ghosh 38). A sizable degree of the area is regarded as waste land. Water from Himalayas reserve elevated levels of sedimentation resulting in the development of slopes making life on the plains quite difficult. Floods are a common occurrence in India that often leads to the destruction of water storage along with irrigation structures. The management of water in addition to land can be achieved in a number of ways. To start with the sources of water ought to be preserved in order to guarantee a continuous supply of the crucial commodity. Tree planting is also a crucial pillar in the water management process in the sense that the trees protect the water towers and are also viable in the social and economic perspective. Particular grass species are also important in holding soil making land supportive of water handling. In accordance to particular aspects of the land, soil and environment such species of grass ought to be planted. Appropriate outlet channel play an influential role in carrying water to various parts of the country where they can be placed under constructive use. The productivity of land is a paramount consideration in water conservation and can be realized through the sowing of definite crops that maintain productivity. It is imperative to regularly monitor the salinity f water particularly in regions where ground water is not enough. Ground water is immensely advantageous in the sense that there is minimal loss, it is convenient t access and cannot evaporate. Nestlé is presently collaborating with the global Water Administration Institute (IWMI) to recognize key regions where local programs for enhanced water organization in agriculture could be increased (Athavale 98-100). These comprise a six-month steer project to evaluate the water track of milk along with supplementary local produce in the Punjab region of India. Fundamentally, due to local over-utilization by farming, industry as well as household use, the area water table is falling to the extent of a meter per annum and could influence the delivery of milk in the region. Measures previously in place consist of the latest Punjab protection of Subsoil Water legislation, which advances water preservation by interrupting rice paddy transplantation, altering crop rotation patterns as well as encouraging reduced water-intensive yield species. In India drinking water supply along with hygiene persists to be insufficient, despite longstanding attempts by the various ranks of government and institutions at improving coverage. The intensity of outlay in water and hygiene, though low in comparison to international standards, has improved. Admittance has moreover increased drastically. For illustration, in 1980 rural hygiene coverage was projected at less than 1% and rose 21% in 2008 (Bansil 56). In addition, the divide of Indians availing improved springs of water has increased considerably from 1990 to 2008. Simultaneously, local government organizations responsible with operating and sustaining the infrastructure are perceived as fragile and lack the monetary resources to undertake their functions. Besides, no major town in India is understood to have an incessant water supply and an anticipated 72% of Indians still be short of enhanced hygiene facilities. A number of pioneering approaches to advance water supply along with sanitation have been experienced in India, special in the past decade. These comprise demand-driven methods in rural water supply from 1999, community-led overall hygiene, and a public-private joint venture to develop the stability of urban water delivery in Karnataka, in addition to the application of loan facilities to the female gender so as to advance access to water (Ahmed 23). Majority of Indians availed an enhanced water source in 2008, although only 31% had admission of improved hygiene. In countryside parts, where majority reside, the individual the individual portion of water is at about 80% furthermore only 21% for hygiene (Crase and Gandhi 46). Access has better substantially from1990 when it was predictable that the percentage of water will be higher than that of hygiene. As per Indian customs, access to enhanced water delivery exists if no less than 40 liters/capita/day of protected drinking water are offered within an expanse of 1.6 km or 100 meter of height difference, to be unperturbed as per countryside conditions. There ought to be no less than one pump per 250 individual. Not any of the 35 Indian towns with a population of not less than one million dispense water for over a few hours per day, despite generally sufficient infrastructure. Because of inadequate demands people fight to gather water even at times of viability. Statistics from the World Bank, the cities don’t have performance pointers that contrast with average worldwide standards. Jamshedpur, a metropolis in Jharkhand with a population of 573,000 supplied more than a quarter of its dwellers with incessant water delivery in 2009. In Bombay, a designed metropolis with not less than 1m residents, has achieved constant supply for approximately half its inhabitants in the beginning of 2009.additionlly, in Badlapur, a different metropolis in the Mumbai capital with a populace of 140,000, has attained continuous delivery in working zones, stands at 30% (Kumar 65). The majority Indians rely on on-site hygiene facilities. Lately, entrance to on-site hygiene has improved in both countryside and urban parts. In countryside areas, total hygiene has been flourishing. In municipal areas, a superior practice is the Slum cleanliness endeavor offer access to hygiene for several slum residents. In view of the water situation in India, a number of recommendations are provided to help India steer its way out of the current water problem. In essence, India is till far from water security and the supply of water in the subcontinent is far much below the standards required. A look at the water supply inequality in Indian cities indicates that a lot needs to be done to guarantee the access of water. In this case several parameters ought to be considered. First is the use of water, India uses water for agricultural purposes, drinking, cleaning and domestic purposes. A clear consideration of the uses of water is necessary of India is to be successful in solving its current water crisis. Organizations working in India ought to demarcate the water need so as to address each problem in entirety. For instance, there should be specific programs to handle rural water supply for agricultural purposes. Therefore, better organization facilities and water storage facilities need to be developed. Farmers ought to be taught of better use, conservation and management of water in order to avoid wastage. Awareness is the most crucial parameter in hindering adequate supply of water for agricultural purposes. Safe drinking water is another significant consideration in water security in India. Government and organizations involved in water management in India ought to specialize in the supply of water for drinking in urban areas where the risk of poor sanitation is high. Better hygiene ideals ought to be developed and taught to city dwellers in order to provide the best background for the successful implementation of water supply. Slum dwellers should be given priority with a constant supply of clean drinking water. Slum conditions ought to be improved to reduce the instances of contamination. Better sewerage facilities are necessary for the success of the program. Water for domestic uses ought to be reduced to avoid the misuse and wastage of the crucial commodity. Reports indicate that though there is a shortage of water in most areas in India some regions misuse the commodity. Perhaps proper management of water will reduce the cases of misuse. Basically, India has a long way to go as regards the management of water. There are several disparities in the water supply endeavor that calls for urgent measures that will restore stability in the water situation. The water towers ought to be protected if water supply is to be maintained. This can be achieved through the cultivation of trees and other forms of vegetation that conserve the water supply by holding soil. Additionally awareness programs ought to be incepted to train residents of better water practices to reduce wastage. Initiatives need to be put in place to guarantee the success of supply to rural and urban centers. Water is required in rural areas mostly for faring while it is needed in towns for survival. More emphasis should be placed on the supply of water to urban areas particularly slums. Works Cited Ahmed, Sara. Flowing Upstream: Empowering Women through Water Management Initiatives in India. New York: Foundation, 2005. Print Athavale, R. N. Water Harvesting and Sustainable Supply in India. Ahmadābād, India: Centre for Environment Education, 2003. Print Bansil, P. C. Water Management in India .Washington: Concept Publishing Company, 2004. Print Crase, Lin and Gandhi, Vasant. Reforming Institutions in Water Resource Management: Policy and Performance For Sustainable Development. Washington: Earthscan, 2012. Print Ghosh, Gourishankar. Water Supply in Rural India: Policy and Programme. Washington: APH Publishing, 1995. Print Kumar, Dinesh. Water Management in India: What Works, What Doesn’t. New York: Gyan Publishing House, 2009. Print Read More