Instead of seeking help from elected representatives, it would be ideal to come up with a solution to India’s water crisis by allowing professionals to tackle the threat.

A popular Hollywood film, Mad Max: Fury Road, is based in a post-apocalyptic world where there is a dictatorial, brutal leader who reigns over his subjects with an iron grip. This leader called Immortan Joe exercises control over his subjects by establishing a grip over the water supply. This post apocalyptic world is a product of ‘water wars’ where brutalities are suffered and inflicted over water. While this may seem to be a world relegated to the realm of fantasy and fiction, the fact is that India is dealing with an acute shortage of water which could make reality much closer to fiction than we fear.

To better understand the water crisis, we must first accept that we are facing a crisis. The fact that we are surrounded by water may give an impression that all the talk of a crisis is just a paranoia, but we couldn’t be more mistaken. Humans primarily rely on ‘fresh water’ for their survival. In terms of numbers, only 2.5 per cent of the earth’s water is fresh water and out of this 2.5per cent, two per cent is water that has been locked in polar ice caps and glaciers. That leaves all the people on the earth with about 0.5 per cent of fresh water. We use this water for drinking (about 10 per cent), for industries (about 20 per cent) and for agriculture/production of food (around 70 per cent). Eighty per cent of the water, therefore, is effectively used for drinking or putting food on our table.

Current state of affairs: It is shameful that this year, there is not a single Indian city that is capable of providing potable water from its tap. This is why close to 163 million Indians have no access to clean drinking water and India finds itself at the top of the list of countries with the worst access to clean water. As per NITI Aayog’s report, India is placed at 120th amongst 122 countries in the water quality index. Frighteningly, approximately 600 million Indians face high to extreme water stress and close to two lakh people die due to inadequate access to safe water every year. Further, the report stated that in 12 years, 40 per cent of the population will have no access to drinking water and by 2020, 21 cities, including New Delhi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, will run out of ground water. Groundwater is the primary source of water in most cities and the looming crisis, which is less than two years away, will affect close to 100 million people. Therefore, the talk of a ‘looming’ crisis is reckless because the fact is that we are in the midst of a water crisis, as we speak.

The way States are equipped to deal with this crisis does not inspire much confidence either. The NITI Aayog has ranked all States in India on 28 different indicators which covered various aspects, including groundwater, restoration of water bodies, irrigation etc. On the basis of these rankings, my home State, Jharkhand, disappointingly languishes at the bottom. The BJP Government in the State and Chief Minister Raghubar Das, however, do not consider this ranking as an insult. The situation is bound to get worse if we do not act with alacrity because India’s population will continue to grow and our farmers will not have the requisite resources to produce anywhere close to the amount of food required by our burgeoning population.

Reasons behind the crisis: The problem essentially is of demand and supply. There is a massive demand for water. And by 2030, it is estimated that the demand for water will be twice the available supply, which could result in a loss of six per cent to the GDP. What does not help matters is unrestricted pollution that has affected our water sources. Even the Ganga, which has immense religious and sentimental value, is so polluted that a task force has been set up to clean it. To make matters worse, if factors such as a growing population and reduced rainfall are added to the mix, it begins to increasingly look the perfect recipe for a disaster.

Way forward: There is a growing recognition that a crisis is in the offing which has prompted steps such as armed guards being stationed at reservoirs or trains being used to transport water to drought-affected areas. These actions, however, are reactionary in nature and serve as palliative measures. What is needed instead is a more coherent and professional approach. Unfortunately, I believe, the Government and the bureaucracy may not have the requisite expertise or bandwidth to tackle this crisis. Therefore, I submit that we would be better served by allowing experts, professionals to tackle the threat of a dry, thirsty country instead of expecting our elected representatives and bureaucrats to be the panacea to our water troubles. Of course, any course of action that expects to be effective, requires the support and backing of the Government but that does not necessarily mean that the initiative should be led by individuals who do not have the requisite information or expertise to deal with the crisis.

There are examples from our past that lend support to such an approach. India’s world renowned nuclear programme, for example, was largely born out of the genius, craft and dedication of Homi Bhabha, the father of India’s nuclear programme. It was Bhabha who while working at the India Institute of Science convinced Pandit Nehru of the importance of starting a nuclear programme and wrote to Nehru saying: “The development of atomic energy should be entrusted to a very small and high powered body composed of say, three people with executive power and answerable directly to the Prime Minister without any intervening link.” This proposal was accepted by Nehru and led to the establishment of the Atomic Energy Commission with Bhabha as its first director. Another example where India has benefitted from the expertise and intellectual capital of its citizens rather than purely relying on State actors is the ‘White Revolution’ whereby dairy farming became India’s largest self-sustaining industry under the leadership of Verghese Kurien.

Of course, I am not suggesting that the Government and the bureaucracy should abdicate responsibility from tackling the impending water crisis. Instead, the best way forward is for the Government to enable an independent body comprising of experts in the field of water conservation and policy to be allowed to do what they are good at without any fear of interference or red-tape. All these efforts must be supplanted by efforts of the Government and the citizens of the country. Let’s not forget that each and every one of us has a role to play in restricting the impact of this impending crisis by being responsible with our use of water. If we do not act with the swiftness that this situation demands, I fear that the Hollywood description of the ‘water wars’ will be looked back upon as far too timid.

(The writer is Jharkhand PCC president, former MP and IPS officer. Views are personal)

Writer: Ajoy Kumar

Courtesy: The Pioneer

Instead of seeking help from elected representatives, it would be ideal to come up with a solution to India’s water crisis by allowing professionals to tackle the threat.

A popular Hollywood film, Mad Max: Fury Road, is based in a post-apocalyptic world where there is a dictatorial, brutal leader who reigns over his subjects with an iron grip. This leader called Immortan Joe exercises control over his subjects by establishing a grip over the water supply. This post apocalyptic world is a product of ‘water wars’ where brutalities are suffered and inflicted over water. While this may seem to be a world relegated to the realm of fantasy and fiction, the fact is that India is dealing with an acute shortage of water which could make reality much closer to fiction than we fear.

To better understand the water crisis, we must first accept that we are facing a crisis. The fact that we are surrounded by water may give an impression that all the talk of a crisis is just a paranoia, but we couldn’t be more mistaken. Humans primarily rely on ‘fresh water’ for their survival. In terms of numbers, only 2.5 per cent of the earth’s water is fresh water and out of this 2.5per cent, two per cent is water that has been locked in polar ice caps and glaciers. That leaves all the people on the earth with about 0.5 per cent of fresh water. We use this water for drinking (about 10 per cent), for industries (about 20 per cent) and for agriculture/production of food (around 70 per cent). Eighty per cent of the water, therefore, is effectively used for drinking or putting food on our table.

Current state of affairs: It is shameful that this year, there is not a single Indian city that is capable of providing potable water from its tap. This is why close to 163 million Indians have no access to clean drinking water and India finds itself at the top of the list of countries with the worst access to clean water. As per NITI Aayog’s report, India is placed at 120th amongst 122 countries in the water quality index. Frighteningly, approximately 600 million Indians face high to extreme water stress and close to two lakh people die due to inadequate access to safe water every year. Further, the report stated that in 12 years, 40 per cent of the population will have no access to drinking water and by 2020, 21 cities, including New Delhi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, will run out of ground water. Groundwater is the primary source of water in most cities and the looming crisis, which is less than two years away, will affect close to 100 million people. Therefore, the talk of a ‘looming’ crisis is reckless because the fact is that we are in the midst of a water crisis, as we speak.

The way States are equipped to deal with this crisis does not inspire much confidence either. The NITI Aayog has ranked all States in India on 28 different indicators which covered various aspects, including groundwater, restoration of water bodies, irrigation etc. On the basis of these rankings, my home State, Jharkhand, disappointingly languishes at the bottom. The BJP Government in the State and Chief Minister Raghubar Das, however, do not consider this ranking as an insult. The situation is bound to get worse if we do not act with alacrity because India’s population will continue to grow and our farmers will not have the requisite resources to produce anywhere close to the amount of food required by our burgeoning population.

Reasons behind the crisis: The problem essentially is of demand and supply. There is a massive demand for water. And by 2030, it is estimated that the demand for water will be twice the available supply, which could result in a loss of six per cent to the GDP. What does not help matters is unrestricted pollution that has affected our water sources. Even the Ganga, which has immense religious and sentimental value, is so polluted that a task force has been set up to clean it. To make matters worse, if factors such as a growing population and reduced rainfall are added to the mix, it begins to increasingly look the perfect recipe for a disaster.

Way forward: There is a growing recognition that a crisis is in the offing which has prompted steps such as armed guards being stationed at reservoirs or trains being used to transport water to drought-affected areas. These actions, however, are reactionary in nature and serve as palliative measures. What is needed instead is a more coherent and professional approach. Unfortunately, I believe, the Government and the bureaucracy may not have the requisite expertise or bandwidth to tackle this crisis. Therefore, I submit that we would be better served by allowing experts, professionals to tackle the threat of a dry, thirsty country instead of expecting our elected representatives and bureaucrats to be the panacea to our water troubles. Of course, any course of action that expects to be effective, requires the support and backing of the Government but that does not necessarily mean that the initiative should be led by individuals who do not have the requisite information or expertise to deal with the crisis.

There are examples from our past that lend support to such an approach. India’s world renowned nuclear programme, for example, was largely born out of the genius, craft and dedication of Homi Bhabha, the father of India’s nuclear programme. It was Bhabha who while working at the India Institute of Science convinced Pandit Nehru of the importance of starting a nuclear programme and wrote to Nehru saying: “The development of atomic energy should be entrusted to a very small and high powered body composed of say, three people with executive power and answerable directly to the Prime Minister without any intervening link.” This proposal was accepted by Nehru and led to the establishment of the Atomic Energy Commission with Bhabha as its first director. Another example where India has benefitted from the expertise and intellectual capital of its citizens rather than purely relying on State actors is the ‘White Revolution’ whereby dairy farming became India’s largest self-sustaining industry under the leadership of Verghese Kurien.

Of course, I am not suggesting that the Government and the bureaucracy should abdicate responsibility from tackling the impending water crisis. Instead, the best way forward is for the Government to enable an independent body comprising of experts in the field of water conservation and policy to be allowed to do what they are good at without any fear of interference or red-tape. All these efforts must be supplanted by efforts of the Government and the citizens of the country. Let’s not forget that each and every one of us has a role to play in restricting the impact of this impending crisis by being responsible with our use of water. If we do not act with the swiftness that this situation demands, I fear that the Hollywood description of the ‘water wars’ will be looked back upon as far too timid.

(The writer is Jharkhand PCC president, former MP and IPS officer. Views are personal)

Writer: Ajoy Kumar

Courtesy: The Pioneer