WATER RESOURCES

Water scarcity ka matlab hai paani ki kami, jo sirf low rainfall areas mein hi nahi hoti, balki high rainfall areas mein bhi ho sakti hai agar uska mismanagement ho. India mein water scarcity ek serious issue hai.

Water ki Availability

• Earth ka three-fourth surface paani se cover hai.
• Lekin, iska bahut chhota proportion hi freshwater hai jo use kiya ja sakta hai.
• Freshwater mainly surface run-off aur groundwater se milta hai.
• Hydrological cycle ke through paani continuously renew aur recharge hota hai, isliye water ek renewable resource hai.

Water Scarcity ke Main Causes

1. Over-exploitation aur Excessive Use:

• Large population: Zyada population ko zyada paani chahiye, sirf domestic use ke liye nahi balki food production ke liye bhi.
• High food-grain production: Dry-season agriculture ke liye irrigated areas badhane ke liye water resources ka over-exploitation hota hai.
• Irrigated agriculture paani ka sabse bada consumer hai. Farmers apne wells aur tube-wells use karte hain, jisse groundwater levels gir jaate hain.

1. Unequal Access to Water:

• Different social groups ke beech paani ka unequal distribution.

1. Industrialisation aur Urbanisation:

• Industries: Paani ki heavy users hain aur unhe power ke liye bhi paani chahiye (hydroelectric power).
• Urban centres: Large aur dense population, modern lifestyles ke karan paani aur energy ki demand badhti hai.
• Cities mein log apne groundwater pumping devices use karte hain, jisse fragile water resources over-exploit ho rahe hain.

1. Water Pollution:

• Even agar paani available ho, toh bhi uski quality kharab hone se scarcity ho sakti hai.
• Domestic aur industrial wastes, chemicals, pesticides, aur fertilizers paani ko pollute karte hain, jisse woh human use ke liye hazardous ho jaata hai.

Water Conservation aur Management ki Zarurat

• Health hazards se bachne ke liye.
• Food security ensure karne ke liye.
• Livelihoods aur productive activities ko maintain karne ke liye.
• Natural ecosystems ke degradation ko rokne ke liye.
• Over-exploitation aur mismanagement se ecological crisis ho sakti hai.

Government Initiatives

• Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM):
• Goal: Har rural household ko potable piped water supply provide karna.
• Service level: 55 litres per capita per day on a long-term basis.
• Focus: Tap water connections ki functionality ensure karna.
• Atal Bhujal Yojana (Atal Jal):
• Implementation: 8220 water stressed Gram Panchayats in 7 states (Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, MP, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, UP).
• Objective: Community mein behavioural change lana, consumption se conservation aur smart water management ki taraf.
• States covered: India ke total water-stressed blocks ka 37% cover karte hain.

Ancient times se hi India mein sophisticated hydraulic structures banaye jaate rahe hain. Modern India mein bhi dams ka construction ek important part hai water management ka.

Hydraulic Structures in Ancient India

• 1st Century B.C.: Sringaverapura (Allahabad ke paas) mein Ganga river ke flood water ko channel karne ka sophisticated system tha.
• Chandragupta Maurya ke time: Dams, lakes, aur irrigation systems extensively banaye gaye.
• Other evidences: Kalinga (Odisha), Nagarjunakonda (AP), Bennur (Karnataka), Kolhapur (Maharashtra) mein bhi sophisticated irrigation works mile hain.
• 11th Century: Bhopal Lake, apne time ki largest artificial lakes mein se ek.
• 13th–14th Century: Hauz Khas, Delhi mein Allauddin Khilji ne tank banaya Siri Fort area ko paani supply karne ke liye.

Dams kya hote hain?

• Definition: Dam ek barrier hai jo flowing water ko obstruct, direct ya retard karta hai, jisse aksar ek reservoir, lake ya impoundment banta hai.
• Structure: Spillway ya weir hota hai jahan se paani flow karta hai.
• Classification:
• Structure aur material ke basis par: Timber dams, embankment dams, masonry dams.
• Height ke basis par: Low dams, medium height dams, high dams (ya large dams, major dams).

Multi-purpose Projects

• Purpose: Dams ab sirf irrigation ke liye nahi, balki multiple purposes ke liye banaye jaate hain.
• Key purposes:
• Electricity generation (Hydel power): Jaise Bhakra-Nangal Project.
• Water supply: Domestic aur industrial uses ke liye.
• Flood control: Hirakud Project (Mahanadi basin) iska example hai.
• Recreation.
• Inland navigation.
• Fish breeding.
• Integration: Ye projects water ke kayi uses ko integrate karte hain, isliye inhe multi-purpose projects kehte hain.
• Jawaharlal Nehru: Ne dams ko ‘temples of modern India’ kaha tha. Unka मानना था ki ye agriculture aur village economy ko industrialisation aur urban economy ke saath integrate karke nation ko development aur progress ki taraf le jayenge.

Examples of Multi-purpose Projects

• Bhakra – Nangal Project: Sutlej-Beas river basin par, hydel power production aur irrigation ke liye.
• Hirakud Project: Mahanadi basin par, water conservation aur flood control ke liye.
• Sardar Sarovar Dam: Narmada River (Gujarat) par, India ke largest water resource projects mein se ek.
• Covered states: Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan.
• Benefits: Drought-prone aur desert areas mein paani ki requirement puri karta hai.
• Irrigation: Gujarat mein 18.45 lakh hectare, Rajasthan mein 2.46 lakh hectare, Maharashtra mein 37,500 hectare ko irrigation provide karta hai.
• Drought-proofing: Command area ka 75% Gujarat mein aur pura Rajasthan ka command area drought-prone hai, jise assured water supply se drought-proof banaya jayega.

Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)

• Objective: Country ke sabhi agricultural farms ko protective irrigation provide karna.
• Broad goals:
• Farm par water access badhana aur cultivable area ko assured irrigation ke under lana (har khet ko pani).
• On-farm water use efficiency improve karna, wastage reduce karna (per drop more crop).
• Sustainable water conservation practices introduce karna.

Multi-purpose projects, jo kabhi development ka symbol the, ab kayi reasons se criticism aur opposition face kar rahe hain.

Environmental Impacts

• Natural flow ka disturbance: Rivers ka natural flow regulate aur dam karne se disturb hota hai.
• Sediment flow: Poor sediment flow aur reservoir ke bottom mein excessive sedimentation hota hai.
• Isse rockier stream beds bante hain aur aquatic life ke liye habitats kharab hote hain.
• Floodplains ko silt nahi milta, jo ek natural fertilizer hai, jisse land degradation badhta hai.
• Aquatic fauna migration: Dams rivers ko fragment karte hain, jisse aquatic fauna (especially spawning ke liye) migrate nahi kar paati.
• Vegetation aur soil ka decomposition: Reservoirs ke niche aane wale existing vegetation aur soil decompose ho jaate hain.
• Floods: Ironically, jin dams ko floods control karne ke liye banaya gaya tha, woh sedimentation ke karan floods trigger kar sakte hain.
• Excessive rainfall ke time bade dams floods control karne mein unsuccessful rahe hain.
• Floods se life, property ka devastation aur extensive soil erosion hota hai.
• Ecological consequences:
• Salinisation of soil: Water intensive aur commercial crops ki taraf shift hone se.
• Water-borne diseases aur pests.
• Pollution: Excessive water use se.
• Induced earthquakes.

Social Impacts

• Displacement: Large scale displacement of local communities.
• Loss of livelihood: Jin logon ko displace kiya jaata hai, unki livelihood chhin jaati hai.
• Inter-state water disputes: Rivers ek se zyada states se guzarti hain, isliye water sharing par disputes hote hain.
• Example: Krishna-Godavari dispute Maharashtra, Karnataka aur Andhra Pradesh ke beech, Koyna dam par water diversion ko lekar.

Economic Impacts

• Cropping pattern change: Farmers water intensive aur commercial crops ki taraf shift ho jaate hain, jisse water demand aur badhti hai.
• High costs: Dams ke construction aur maintenance mein bahut zyada paisa lagta hai.

Ancient India mein water harvesting ka ek extraordinary tradition tha. Log rainfall regimes aur soil types ki deep knowledge rakhte the aur local ecological conditions ke hisaab se techniques develop karte the.

Traditional Methods ke Examples

1. Guls aur Kuls (Western Himalayas):

• Type: Diversion channels.
• Purpose: Agriculture ke liye paani divert karna.

1. Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting (Rajasthan):

• Purpose: Drinking water store karna.
• Tankas: Bikaner, Phalodi, Barmer mein underground tanks hote the.
• Connection: Sloping roofs se pipes ke through connected hote the.
• Collection: Pehli baarish ka paani roofs aur pipes ko clean karne ke liye nahi collect karte the; subsequent showers ka paani collect karte the.
• Reliability: Summers mein jab dusre sources dry ho jaate the, tab ye extremely reliable source hota tha.
• Purity: Rainwater ko 'palar pani' kehte the aur ise purest form of natural water mana jaata tha.
• Cooling: Kayi gharon mein tanka ke paas underground rooms hote the jo summers mein rooms ko cool rakhte the.

1. Inundation Channels (Bengal ke Floodplains):

• Purpose: Fields ko irrigate karna.

1. Khadins (Jaisalmer) aur Johads (Rajasthan ke dusre parts):

• Type: Rain-fed storage structures.
• Location: Arid aur semi-arid regions mein agricultural fields ko convert karke banaye jaate the.
• Purpose: Paani ko khada rakhna aur soil ko moisten karna.

1. Bamboo Drip Irrigation System (Meghalaya):

• Age: 200 saal purana system.
• Method: Stream aur spring water ko bamboo pipes use karke tap karte the.
• Efficiency: 18-20 litres paani system mein enter karta hai aur plant site par 20-80 drops per minute tak reduce ho jaata hai.
• Gravity flow: Paani ko hilltops se lower reaches tak gravity se divert karte hain.
• Control: Pipes ki position manipulate karke water flow control karte hain.

Significance of Traditional Methods

• Local knowledge: Local ecological conditions aur water needs ke hisaab se developed.
• Sustainable: Environmentally friendly aur long-term solutions provide karte hain.
• Community participation: Aksar local communities dwara manage kiye jaate the.

Traditional rainwater harvesting methods ki importance ko recognize karte hue, modern times mein bhi inhe adapt kiya ja raha hai, especially water scarcity se deal karne ke liye.

Modern Adaptations aur Examples

• Western Rajasthan mein decline: Indira Gandhi Canal se paani ki availability badhne ke karan rooftop rainwater harvesting ka practice decline ho raha hai.
• Lekin, kuch ghar ab bhi tankas maintain karte hain kyunki unhe tap water ka taste pasand nahi.
• Gendathur (Mysuru, Karnataka):
• Success Story: Ek remote backward village jahan villagers ne household rooftop rainwater harvesting system install kiya hai.
• Impact: Nearly 200 households ne system install kiya hai, aur village rainwater-rich ban gaya hai.
• Collection capacity: 1,000 mm annual precipitation, 80% collection efficiency aur 10 fillings ke saath, har ghar annually 50,000 litres paani collect kar sakta hai.
• Total collection: 200 gharon se annually 1,00,000 litres rainwater harvest hota hai.
• Tamil Nadu:
• Pioneer State: India ka pehla state jisne rooftop rainwater harvesting structure ko sabhi gharon ke liye compulsory kar diya hai.
• Legal provisions: Defaulters ko punish karne ke liye legal provisions hain.
• Shillong (Meghalaya):
• Paradox: Cherapunjee aur Mawsynram (55 km door) mein world ka highest rainfall hota hai, phir bhi Shillong mein acute water shortage hai.
• Solution: City ke nearly har household mein rooftop rainwater harvesting structure hai.
• Contribution: Household ki total water requirement ka 15-25% rooftop water harvesting se aata hai.

Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting System ka Working (General)

1. Collection: Rooftop rainwater ko PVC pipe use karke collect kiya jaata hai.
2. Filtration: Paani ko sand aur bricks use karke filter kiya jaata hai.
3. Storage/Usage:

• Underground pipe paani ko sump tak le jaati hai immediate usage ke liye.
• Sump se excess water ko well mein transfer kiya jaata hai.

1. Recharge: Well se paani underground recharge karta hai.
2. Later use: Well se paani baad mein use kiya ja sakta hai (e.g., hand pump ya abandoned dugwell ke through recharge).