Water Crisis

Toxic aquifer beneath our feet: India faces its worst groundwater crisis

The most striking finding is the presence of uranium contamination across North India

Explained: Why Iran is facing its worst-ever water crisis in decades

Iran is facing its worst drought in nearly a century.

Govt seeks data on contractors, agencies penalised under Jal Jeevan Mission

The Centre has directed all states and Union Territories to share details of contractors and third-party inspection agencies against whom penalties have been imposed under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), official sources said on Monday. The instruction is part of a wider directive from the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, which has asked Chief Secretaries to submit comprehensive reports, sources said. Contractors and inspection agencies against whom penalties have been imposed, blacklisting orders issued or recoveries made for irregularities under the JJM are to be included in the list, according to official sources. The DDWS has also sought information on action taken against officials of the Public Health Engineering Departments (PHED), including suspensions, removals, and FIRs registered in connection with complaints of substandard work or misuse of funds. States have further been asked to provide one-page summaries of each case

CM calls for mass movement on check dams, ponds to tackle UP water crisis

Expressing concern over the growing water crisis, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday directed officials to turn the construction and restoration of check dams and ponds into a mass movement on the lines of the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign. Chairing a review meeting of the Namami Gange and Rural Water Supply (Minor Irrigation) department, he said such structures are a national necessity, offering cost-effective water conservation and groundwater recharge compared to large dams, the UP government said in a statement. Adityanath informed that 6,448 check dams have been built across seasonal rivers and streams, creating irrigation potential for 1.28 lakh hectares and recharging over 10,000 hectare-metres of groundwater annually. Since 2022-23, 1,002 check dams have been de-silted, while 1,343 ponds out of 16,610 have been redeveloped. Between 2017 and 2025, 6,192 blast coupes were constructed, providing irrigation for 18,576 hectares. He further directed that ...

Only a third of world rivers had water within normal range in 2024: WMO

Only a third of rivers had normal flows in 2024 while glaciers shrank for the third year, WMO report warns, urging stronger monitoring and data sharing to avert future crises

Delhi govt flags water, electricity issues in 799 schools, calls for action

The Delhi government has flagged gaps in water and power availability in 799 schools across the city and directed officials to take urgent measures to address them. A report compiled by the education department, based on data collected from schools through forms, highlighted critical infrastructure issues affecting their daily functioning. According to the report, out of 703 schools connected to the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and Municipal Engineering Services, 59 schools reported intermittent water supply while 48 schools reported erratic or no supply at all. These schools are being compelled to rely on tanker services or submersible pumps for their water needs. Additionally, 22 schools were found to be fully tanker-dependent, with four of them having applied for DJB connections, the report stated. The report also found that 10 schools have no water supply. Among them, three are undergoing reconstruction while seven depend on neighbouring schools or tankers. Of these, two schools have

New advanced chemical testing lab to enhance quality checks for food, water

Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi will inaugurate a new chemical laboratory at the National Test House in Ghaziabad on September 10, as the country seeks to strengthen quality testing capabilities across various industries. The state-of-the-art facility will test packaged drinking water, natural mineral water, food packaging materials, and construction materials, including cement and metals, according to an official statement. The laboratory has received accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) under ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standards and holds approvals from the Bureau of Indian Standards, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, and under the Fertilizer Control Order of 1985. Equipment includes atomic absorption spectrometers, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry systems, and high-performance liquid chromatography instruments to conduct sophisticated analyses across diverse sectors, the Food and Consumer ...

England's water crisis renews focus on data centre cooling and consumption

England's drought is putting attention on data centres, which use large amounts of water to keep servers cool, adding to the pressure on already low water supplies

Telangana, Andhra Pradesh CMs to attend Centre's meeting on water issues

Both the Chief Ministers have previously expressed their willingness to resolve the issue through dialogue

Facing crisis, Pak sent four letters to India asking it to end IWT abeyance

India has stated that the treaty will stay in abeyance until Islamabad "credibly and permanently" halts its support for cross-border terrorism

Cities must see water as a strategic tool to balance economy, ecology

As India navigates through the complexities of sustainable development, the blue economy offers a compelling strategy to align urban development with social inclusion and environmental resilience

HC tells Punjab govt to release water, not obstruct Bhakra dam operations

The court expressed serious concern over the alleged conduct of the Punjab administration, comparing the situation to actions taken against hostile countries

Punjab-Haryana water dispute explained: What's causing the water crisis?

Haryana sought 8,500 cusecs of water, 4,500 cusecs more than its usual share, from the Bhakra-Nangal project, which was rejected by Punjab, causing tensions to rise between the states

Saving water: India needs a balanced management template to avert crisis

Though big dams such as the Sardar Sarovar and pipe-building programmes such as the Har Ghar Nal Yojana seek to address the issue of access, the real challenge is ensuring balanced water ecology

DK Shivakumar hints at 1 paisa per litre water tariff hike in Bengaluru

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday said that the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) is likely to hike the city's water tariff by one paisa per litre. Defending the Congress government amid the BJP's protests against rising prices, he accused the saffron party of being "anti-farmer" for opposing the milk price hike, asserting that the increase was intended to benefit farmers. On Wednesday, the BJP launched a statewide day and night' protest against the Congress government, accusing it of imposing a financial burden on the public by increasing the prices of milk and diesel, hiking power tariffs, and raising bus and metro fares, among other measures. "BJP is not talking about the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) reducing power tariffs for certain sections. As for the milk price hike, shouldn't we support farmers? Let them (the BJP-led central government) reduce the prices of cattle fodder, petrol, and diesel to help farmers. BJP

Explained: Why is Kashmir heading towards a water crisis?

Kashmir, hailed as the ‘Paradise on Earth’, is now grappling with an alarming reality — water scarcity. Experts warn that the region could face an unprecedented drought if the current trend continues.

Govt, people need to work together against water crisis in state: J&K CM

Jammu and Kashmir is staring at a water crisis this year due to a massive deficit in rainfall, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Wednesday, calling for a more proactive approach and collective efforts towards water management and conservation. Kashmir has witnessed a dry winter this year with an 80 per cent deficit of rainfall overall this year, raising the possibility of drought in the valley this summer. Abdullah said in a post on X, "J&K is staring at a water crisis this year. It's not a recent phenomenon, actually it's been building up for a few years now. While the government will have to adopt a more proactive approach for water management & conservation, it can't just be a government centric approach. All of us residents of J&K will have to change the way we take water for granted." The chief minister said he will review the measures being taken by the concerned department to deal with the crisis. "I'll be reviewing the measures the Jal Shakti (PHE) Dept intends .

India-linked firms partner to resolve South Africa's water, energy crisis

Two South African companies with strong links to India have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to help resolve the water and energy crisis in the country. Imbanita Consulting and Engineering Services, established in 2017 as a joint venture company between Imbani Holdings and Tata Africa, and the local subsidiary of ION Exchange, which offers total water and environment management solutions, signed the MoU at the office of the Consul General of India here on Wednesday. Bish Chakraborty, CEO of Inbanita, said his company could assist in significantly reducing the load-shedding problems which have left South Africa in the dark for lengthy periods during the past few years. Load-shedding problems have had a drastic effect on the South African economy. Chakraborty claimed Imbanita was very well-placed to assist on the power generation side. Gourish Chakravorty, CEO of Ion Exchange Safic, said his company had been working on the water challenges in South Africa for the past 17 .

Ground realities: Groundwater contamination poses serious hazards

Well-defined and enforceable groundwater rights, detached from land ownership, can offer solutions in this regard

Delhi's groundwater extraction at 99% while Bengaluru at 150%: Govt

Delhi's groundwater resources are heavily strained, with the overall extraction rate at 99.13 per cent, categorised as "critical", while the situation in Bengaluru is even more alarming with the overall groundwater extraction rate at 150.84 per cent, the Jal Shakti ministry said on Monday. Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Raj Bhushan Choudhary, said that while desalination technology using reject heat from nuclear reactors is operational at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, it is not widely applicable. Instead, the reverse osmosis (RO) membrane technology is deemed suitable for treating groundwater, the minister said. The government has also assessed groundwater dynamics in urban areas like Delhi and Bengaluru, but similar data for Mumbai is unavailable due to insufficient data collection. Delhi's groundwater resources are heavily strained, with the overall extraction rate at 99.13 per cent, which is categorised as "critical", Choudhary ...