Introduction:

Climate change impacts the world’s water in complex ways. Climate change manifests itself primarily through changes in the water cycle. As climate changes, droughts, floods, melting glaciers, sea-level rise and storms intensify or alter, often with severe consequences. Climate change impacts have direct consequences for water security and conflict.

Body:

The 2020 edition of the World Water Development Report (WWDR 2020) entitled ‘Water and Climate Change’ aims at helping the water community to tackle the challenges of climate change and informing the climate change community about the opportunities that improved water management offers in terms of adaptation and mitigation.

Impact of climate change on water security:

• The ever increasing dependence on ground water and its continuous excessive exploitation is reducing the ground water level and adversely affecting the quality of drinking water supply, which is a complex challenge.
• Drying of water sources, rapid depletion of ground water table, recurrence of drought and deteriorating water management in different states are presenting different types of challenges.
• Repairs of closed bore pumps, water supply pipelines are not being done on time due to which there is a special crisis in the area.
• Due to the pressure of industrialization and urbanization, the sources of water have been destroyed. This worrying aspect was consistently ignored by various governments.
• Fluoride, nitrate, pesticides, etc. were found to be present in more than acceptable limits in the ground water of most cities and about 19,000 villages. Water quality is challenging in this regard.
• Studies sponsored by the World Bank and UNICEF show that not only is drinking water inadequate in rural India but its imbalance is widespread across the country.
• Waterborne diseases are the biggest health challenge in India. According to official statistics published in the National Health Profile of India-2018, about one quarter or four cases reported in India are due to communicable diseases and one in every five deaths is due to waterborne diseases.
• Water crisis has become a major problem in 30 countries of the world and in the next decade about two-thirds of the global population will face extreme water shortage. In real terms water crisis has become a major challenge in India.

Measures needed:

• Water efficiency:
  • Incentivize the wider adoption of sprinkler and drip irrigation by diverting resources otherwise used to subsidize power and surface irrigation.
  • Special emphasis should be laid on desilting of water bodies, including river, lakes, ponds and reservoirs.
• Recycle of waste water:
  • With the country generating 140 bcm of wastewater annually, a pilot scheme to irrigate 10 lakh ha with treated waste water by 2020 may initially be taken up.
  • Industries should be encouraged to meet a major share of their demand through recycled water. Besides, programmes for smart water meters and tradable permits for use of recycled water may be launched.
• Water harvesting
  • Watershed development:
  • The MoWR may develop specific strategies to tap water through watershed development (check dams) in rain-fed areas, expand micro irrigation coverage to 80 lakh ha, and link ground water development to aquifer mapping.
  • The timeline for watershed development projects needs to be shortened from seven to four years with special efforts by state governments. Funds available under MGNREGA and state plans may be used for watershed development projects.
  • Rainwater harvesting:
  • Model Building Bye Laws, 2016 circulated by Ministry of Urban Development includes the provision of rain water harvesting.
  • Barring the states/UTs of Manipur, Sikkim, Mizoram and Lakshadweep, all states have incorporated the provision in their respective Building Bye Laws.
• Groundwater management:
  • As on date, development of groundwater, i.e., utilization of groundwater resources vis-à-vis replenishable quantity, is 62 per cent. There is a need to develop recharging zones at identified places to make groundwater resources sustainable using check dam, farm ponds, tanks and injection wells.
  • Special focus should be placed on the quality of rural drinking water supply in arsenic and fluoride affected areas by tapping multiple sources through conjunctive use of surface water, ground water and rain water harvesting. All new, piped water supply schemes should have mandatory provisions on operation and maintenance involving local communities and stakeholders.

Way forward:

• India’s priority must be:
  • To make our irrigation and water systems amenable to modern concepts.
  • To complete irrigation and water sector reforms.
  • To implement improved water management, governance and regulation practices.
  • Pricing system for water: For making people use water efficiently
• Bigger program on water efficiency as energy efficiency – Setting standards for water management.
• Ensuring minimal pollution in both urban areas and industry.
• Fixing India’s water crisis will need well balanced policies, meticulous strategy and a massive amount of public participation.
• Sugarcane consumes a disproportionate amount of water and water-stressed regions must make an effort to move away from the crop.
• Comprehensive restructuring of India’s Central Ground Water Board and the Central Water Commission in order to create a new 21st Century management authority.
• Right to water should mean a high priority to drinking water.
• India has so far seen the water sector in terms of irrigation projects or water schemes. We need to balance between our water-needs and that of the river itself.