Stave off water crisis

What is worrying is adequate arrangements are not being made for utilisation between June and Septt

The editorial, “The heat is on” (April 5), discusses the concern over impending water shortage across the nation.

Water shortage and the distress it causes is nothing new. The same story is replayed every summer. While it is imperative that the government moves its machinery in this regard, what are we as individuals and collectively as communities doing to ensure there is not an encore year after year?

We get four months of rainfall, which is utilised for eight months ahead till the next instalment arrives around June next year. What is worrying is adequate arrangements are not being made for optimum utilisation of the deluge between June and September. Most of the water flows into the sea.

We need to have water harvesting plans to store the liquid and avert crisis in the lean months. Periodically, there is reportage about stray cases or villages that have successfully harvested water and are not facing a calamitous situation. Such success stories need to be replicated throughout the country. In urban centres where high-rise buildings are many, every one of them should adopt water harvesting techniques to ensure they do not drain water from the common pool.

As for funding of water harvesting infrastructure, companies could be tapped to utilise their corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds. Companies could tie up with willing NGOs in this regard. It is up to individuals and the community to do their bit to alleviate the suffering caused by water shortage rather than expecting the government to always come to their aid. Doomsday are already predicting wars would be fought over water. To stave off such a situation, collective all-round effort is required.

K V Premraj Mumbai

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