Experts suggest use of sea water for irrigation

With water scarcity on the rise in the country, experts are now planning to use sea water for irrigation purpose.     

Sea water can be purified using latest technology and used for irrigation.

Alternative sources of energy like wind, tidal and solar power could also be used to bring down the input cost, Working Group on Water Resources for the XIth Five Year Plan has said.     

India should be considered a "mega reservoir" since it is surrounded by sea on three sides, according to the working group, set up by the Planning Commission.     

"It is possible to economically utilise sea water in arid areas near the sea coast," the report says.     
Though at present, desalination of sea water is a relatively high cost alternative requiring a lot of power input, with continuous improvements in membrane technology the cost of desalination will be reduced to a great extent, the Group said.    

"Conjunctive use of good quality water and saline sea water is also possible to reduce the cost of water required for irrigation.

In case extraction and purification of saline sea water are commercially done, deploying non-conventional source of power -- solar, tidal and wind -- water can be conveniently made available for different purposes, particularly in coastal areas," it said.     

"This alternative may be more viable as compared to canal water brought through interlinking of rivers or such costly endeavours like tanker supply.

It is desirable to consider this parameter also in the comprehensive planning in the water resources sector," the report by the Working Group added.