Page 6 - Water Crisis

Statsguru: Adequate groundwater buffers can help reduce pain of drought

India had 398 billion cubic metres of extractable groundwater resources in 2022, recharged largely by the monsoons. The usage continued to go up even after 2011, but moderated after 2013

Water near ethanol plant in Ferozepur found unfit for drinking: CPCB

Water samples drawn from 29 borewells near an ethanol plant here were found unfit for drinking, a new report by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has said. Samples from 12 of these borewells had an unpleasant odour and those from another five had grey or blackish water. Total dissolved solids (TDS), boron and sulphates were found in high concentrations beyond acceptable limits, according to the report submitted to the National Green Tribunal. Water samples taken from two borewells located inside the plant contained huge amounts of heavy metals, including arsenic, chromium, iron, manganese, nickel and lead, it said. In January, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann ordered the immediate closure of the plant after a months-long agitation against the unit by villagers. An inspection team also found that 10 borewells and six piezometers were installed on the plant premises allegedly without obtaining permission from the CGWB (central ground water board) or the PWRDA (Punjab Wate

More than 50% of world's largest lakes are losing water: Research

More than 50 per cent of the largest lakes in the world are losing water, according to a new study, with key culprits unsurprisingly being warming climate and unsustainable human consumption. The study, published in the journal Science, is the first comprehensive assessment of trends and drivers of global lake water storage variability based on an array of satellites and models, said lead author Fangfang Yao, University of Virginia, US. He said this new method of tracking lake water storage trends and the reasons behind them could give water managers and communities insight into how to better protect critical sources of water and important regional ecosystems. Motivated by environmental crises such as the drying of the Aral Sea between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Yao and colleagues from the University of Colorado Boulder (US), Kansas State University (US), France, and Saudi Arabia set out to measure changes in water levels in nearly 2,000 of the world's biggest lakes and reservoirs,

55 wildlife creatures suffering from dehydration rescued in Mumbai

At least 55 wildlife creatures including birds and reptiles, many of them suffering from dehydration, were rescued in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region in the last three days, an NGO claimed on Wednesday. The Forest Department and Resqink Association for Wildlife Welfare (RAWW) were flooded with calls about dehydrated animals stranded in residential areas, said Pawan Sharma, founder of RAWW, an NGO, and an honorary wildlife warden. An eight-feet-long Indian Rock Python was found in a housing society in suburban Mulund which is located on the edge of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, said Sharma. Joaquim Naik of the RAWW rescued it and released it in the wild, he added. In neighbouring Thane, a pregnant cobra was found severely dehydrated and distressed near a residential area. It was treated by veterinary doctors and kept under observation. The reptile was in severe stress due to which it had abandoned its eggs which were unfertilized, according to Chinmay Joshi, a zoologist attache

Rising heat: Tankers roped in to supply water in Maha's scarcity-hit places

Eighteen villages and four settlements in Jalna and Hingoli districts of Marathwada region in Maharashtra are currently facing water shortage and tankers have been roped in to supply water at these places, the administration said in its report on Wednesday. The report issued by the divisional commissioner office said the administration has acquired 447 wells across six districts of Marathwada so far. "Due to the summer season, various places in Marathwada are facing water issues. Eighteen villages and four wadis (settlements) in Jalna and Hingoli districts are facing water shortage. Therefore, the administration has started supplying water through tankers at these places. Of them, 10 villages and four settlements are from Jalna, while eight villages are from Hingoli," the report said. In order to meet the water needs of the people, the administration has also acquired 447 wells in six out of the total eight districts of Marathwada - 85 each in Aurangabad and Jalna, 177 in Hingoli, 1

Lucknow faces crisis as Gomti water level drops; no winter rains to blame

Early onset of summer has led to a drop in the water level of Gomti river to 1.4 feet below the normal 346.7 feet due to the extreme weather

Carrying out studies to implement micro-irrigation projects: Kerala govt

The Kerala government has said that it was carrying out studies and making efforts to implement micro-irrigation projects in the state to ensure availability of water for cash crops, like cocoa, castor and cloves, in the hilly areas. Kerala Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine announced this initiative of the state government after inaugurating a weir-cum-tractor way constructed at Alakkad Parakkadavu across the Eryam River in Kadannappally-Panapuzha Grama Panchayat in Kannur district of the state. The Minister said that the government was going ahead with various irrigation projects that can ensure water availability for the agricultural sector. He said that while carrying out the Parakkadavu project, besides a facility for irrigation, it was also considered as a potential source of drinking water. Augustine said people should be cautious about a possibility of severe drinking water shortage in the near future. "Ground water level is decreasing in Kerala," he pointed out. He

Bali's water crisis threatens local culture, food production, UNESCO sites

Far from Bali's beaches and hotels, farmer I Ketut Jata stands on a mountainside, staring at terraced land that is too dry to grow the rice his family has long relied on for food and income. It is no longer possible to work in the fields as a farmer," he says. Bali's water crisis is worsening from tourism development, population growth and water mismanagement, experts and environmental groups warn. Water shortages already are affecting UNESCO sites, wells, food production and Balinese culture and experts say the situation will deteriorate further if existing water control policies are not enforced across the island. A tropical, volcanic island in the center of Indonesia's archipelago, Bali relies on water from three main sources: crater lakes, rivers and shallow groundwater. A unique traditional irrigation system, called the subak, distributes water through a network of canals, dams and tunnels. The subak, made a UNESCO site in 2012, is central to Balinese culture, representing the

Jal Jeevan Mission: Here're the top five best and worst performers

Only 17% of rural households had tap water connections on August 15, 2019, the Ministry of Jal Shakti informed Parliament on July 28 this year

COP27: Initiative to address water security, climate impacts launched

The initiative will champion inclusive cooperation to address water related challenges and solutions across climate change adaptation

India's groundwater extraction stage at 60% in 2022, says report

In 2022, around 87 per cent of the total annual ground water extracted that is around 208.49 Billion Cubic Meters (BCM) was for irrigation which in 2020 was around 89 per cent

Drought from China to US hits hydro dams, slashing top clean energy source

Globally, hydropower generates more electricity than nuclear and more power than wind and solar combined. In countries like Norway and Brazil, dams generate more than half of total electricity

Despite receding, Yamuna's water-level still above the danger mark

The water level in Yamuna in Delhi has receded slightly but it is still above the danger mark of 205.33 metres and the affected people will have to wait for a few more days before they can return to their houses in low-lying areas along the river, officials said on Thursday. According to the Central Water Commission's data, the water level in the Yamuna dipped from 206.59 metres at 7 am on Wednesday, the highest since August 2019, to 205.37 metres at 9 am on Thursday.It is likely to drop below the danger mark of 205.33 metres during the day. The city administration had issued a flood alert, suspended rail traffic movement on the Old Yamuna Bridge and evacuated around 6,500 people from low-lying areas close to the Yamuna on Tuesday as the river breached the evacuation mark of 206 metres following a late spell of heavy rain in the upper catchment areas, especially Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, last week. Since there has been no significant rainfall in the upper catchment areas ove

In view of deficient June rains, BMC announces 10% water cut in Mumbai

Highlighting that the June rainfall has been about 70 per cent less than the average showers recorded during the month in the previous year, the BMC appealed to citizens to use water judiciously

Food, water concerns as floods continue to wreak havoc in Bangladesh

Floods in Bangladesh continued to wreak havoc Monday with authorities struggling to ferry drinking water and dry food to flood shelters across the country's vast northern and northeastern regions

Pak delegation to visit India next week for dialogue on water issues

The talks will be held in New Delhi from May 30-31, the Dawn newspaper quoted Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Waters Syed Muhammad Mehr Ali Shah as saying

Order water quality test in Gujarat, UP, MP, not just in Delhi: DJB to govt

Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta had urged the Union jal shakti minister to order a test of the quality of water being supplied in the national capital, alleging that people consuming it were falling sick

People, businessmen aghast over 'worst-ever' power, water crisis in Jammu

The industrialists also expressed grave concern over the alleged failure of the administration to provide electricity to the industrial estates

Parl panel red flags irregularities observed in irrigation projects

The Centre's AIBP aims to provide financial assistance to state governments to help speed up implementation of on-going irrigation projects.

Pakistan faces staggering 52% water shortage, essential services disrupted

Pakistan faces a staggering 52% water shortage with the acute water crisis causing disruptions in even essential services like healthcare, local media reported on Tuesday