Page 3 - Water Shortage

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

Impact of population growth poses threat to India's water security: Experts

The combination of climate change and population growth poses a serious threat to India's water security, and without adequate measures to address these challenges, water scarcity will worsen with social, economic and environmental impacts, experts have warned. According to the United Nations (UN), India might have already become the most populous country in the world with over 142 crore people. However, the government is yet to conduct a census to give an official figure. Experts highlighted the urgent need for better water management, policy reforms, and protection of natural ecosystems to address the combined challenge of climate change and population growth on water security. Climate change further exacerbates the challenges, they said, with rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, and sea-level rise intensifying the water scarcity problem. According to Aditi Mukherjee, an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) author, poor water management due to distorte

'India's need for water increasing, likely to surpass 1500 bn cu m by 2050'

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Thursday said India's need for water is increasing with its growing population and economy and is likely to exceed the 1,500 billion cubic metre-mark by 2050. The Jal Shakti minister was speaking at the 16th Civil Services Day. "We have become the most populated country in the world though the official figures are yet to come out. We are also the fastest growing economy in the world and our need for water is also increasing," he said. Underlining that water-bearing capacity has to be increased, Shekhawat said while the country's present requirement of water stands at 1,100 billion cubic metres, it is likely to exceed the 1,500 billion cubic metre-mark by 2050. The minister highlighted that the BJP-led central government concentrated on the last mile saturation. "But achieving last mile saturation needed a lot of work and bureaucrats played a very important role in fulfilling India's target set under the Jal Jeevan mission," he said, addin

In a first, Kerala adopts Water Budget to tackle problem of summer shortage

An abundance of rivers, streams, backwaters and a good amount of rainfall contribute to the lush greenery in Kerala, many parts of which yet face acute water scarcity when it comes to the summers. And this has led to the state adopting a Water Budget -- the first of its kind in the country. The details of the first phase of the Water Budget in the state covering 94 grama panchayats in 15 block panchayats were unveiled on Monday by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. At the event, Vijayan said that the state was witnessing a reduction in water availability and therefore a water budget would be helpful in properly utilising the resource and preventing wastage. Water experts welcomed the initiative and said it would help the state ascertain the demand and supply of the precious liquid resource and apportion it accordingly, as the problem was not one of availability, but of management. "It is not an issue of scarcity, it is a managerial problem," said Dr Sunny George, a limnologist

Centre appoints nodal officers for 150 water stressed districts: Officials

The Centre has appointed nodal officers for 150 water stressed districts across the country to take stock of the work under the 'catch the rain' programme, officials said on Thursday. These officers would visit respective districts coordinating implementation of various rain water harvesting, conservation measures and source sustainability aspects, etc., they said citing an official order in this regard. Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain (JSA:CTR) - 2023 with the theme "source sustainability for drinking water" was launched by President Droupadi Murmu on March 4. In this regard, officers of the government of India are hereby appointed as Central Nodal Officers (CNOs) for the identified 150 water stressed districts to take stock of the progress of the works under JSA:CTR-2023 with the directions to visit their districts, said the order issued by the Personnel Ministry. The Central Nodal Officers will be working with a team of Technical officers (ground water scientists and engineer

Untamed global warming risks soaring death toll in middle east: Report

If global warming can be limited to 2C above preindustrial levels, the researchers found that over 80% of those deaths could be avoided

Out of 302 blocks of Rajasthan, groundwater is 'over-exploited' in 219

About 219 of Rajasthan's 302 blocks, including seven urban areas, fall under the 'over-exploited' category in terms of groundwater usage, the Assembly was informed on Wednesday. In reply to a question by BJP member and Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore, the government said the latest groundwater analysis report from March 2022 showed that 219 blocks were 'over-exploited'. Among the others, 22 blocks are 'critical', 20 are 'semi-critical' and 38 are in the 'safe' category, it said. Three blocks were not included in the analysis due to saline groundwater. The seven urban areas included are Ajmer, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Kota, Udaipur and Bikaner. Sixteen blocks in Jaipur are over-exploited -- the highest in the state -- followed by Jodhpur (15), Nagaur (14) and Barmer (14). Among the blocks in the 'safe' category, nine are in the Sriganganagar district, eight in Hanumangarh and six each in Banswara and Nagaur. The state government said a draft bill has been prepared i

79% households in Afghanistan suffer water shortage, shows survey

Drought and a scarcity of water have become a new difficulty for ordinary people to contend with in these challenging economic times

Traffic, water shortages, now floods: Is Bengaluru dying a slow death?

Concrete replaced green spaces and construction around the edge of lakes blocked off connecting canals, limiting the city's capacity to absorb and siphon off water

There would be no water, electricity shortage in Rajasthan: CM Ashok Gehlot

CM Gehlot said that top officials should visit different areas and inspect water and electricity supply arrangements. They should talk to people and solve their problems on the spot.

Millions must cut water usage in drought-stricken California, says MWD

Southern California's gigantic water supplier took the unprecedented step Tuesday of requiring about 6 million people to cut their outdoor watering as drought continues to plague the state.

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

As Goa battles water shortage, minister asks companies to build dams

Goa State Agriculture Minister Ravi Naik wants "big companies" to be invited to build a network of dams in the state so that the collected water could be exported to the arid Gulf region

Pace not enough to meet 2024 Jal Jeevan Mission target, shows data

The government was able to outperform its targets in the last two years, but is likely to fall 60 per cent short of its mark this year.

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

Maharashtra govt sanctions Rs 17.76 crore to repair lakes in Latur

The Maharashtra government has sanctioned Rs 17.76 crore to repair seepage lakes in Udgir and Jalkot tehsils of Latur district, state Minister Sanjay Bansode said on Friday. Speaking to reporters here, the minister for water supply and public works said the repairs will help increase the area under irrigation. "A fund of Rs 17.76 crore has been sanctioned for repairing lakes at Udgir and Jalkot. Of this, Rs 13.35 crore will be used for repairing 39 lakes in Udgir and Rs 4.41 crore will be utilised for 23 slakes in Jalkot. The repair will increase the area under irrigation," Bansode said. The government had asked for a proposal under the Chief Minister's Water Conservation Scheme to repair damaged lakes. Accordingly, the water conservation department was instructed to survey the most dangerous lakes in Udgir and Jalkot tehsils, he said. The water conservation department inspected the lakes and prepared a budget to repair 39 seepage lakes in Udgir and 23 in Jalkot, the minister ...

By 2030 India may not meet half of its water demand, warns new book

In "Watershed: How We Destroyed India's Water and How We Can Save It", Mridula Ramesh lays bare the past and present of India's water and underlines why it is crucial to secure its future now.

2.3 mn Somalis severely affected by water, food, pasture shortages: UN

Some 2.3 million people in Somalia, or 18 per cent of the population, are severely affected by serious water, food and pasture shortages, a UN spokesperson said.

5 billion people could face difficulty accessing water in 2050: UN

More than five billion people globally are expected to face a shortage of water by 2050, a United Nations (UN) agency report has warned.The World Meteorological Organization (WMO), on Tuesday, said that climate change increases the global risk of water-related hazards like floods and droughts, and the number of people affected by water scarcity is also expected to soar."According to figures cited in the report, 3.6 billion people had inadequate access to water at least one month per year in 2018. By 2050, this is expected to rise to more than five billion," the report titled "The State of Climate Services 2021: Water" said.It further highlighted the need for urgent action to improve cooperative water management, embrace integrated water and climate policies and scale up investment in this precious commodity which underpins all the international goals on sustainable development, climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction."Increasing temperatures are resulting in global and ..

Focus on water quality & demand management

The third in a series of weekly articles on the new National Water Policy