Newton in his 3rd law states that - 'For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction'.
We apply this law in every facet of human advancement but when it comes to nature we just seem to forget the essence of it.
Take the instance of 'water usage'. Water is the most important, most under-priced, most undervalued and easily accessible, of all the natural resources we have on planet 'Earth'. Since it is available in plenty, we have been unlimitedly exploiting it. So much so that, in our part of the world we seem to pay the due reverence to the 'Jal Devta' and 'Godess Ganga' only during Worships.
We are using water at a rate higher than its rate of replenishment. Our Industries don't hesitate to draw water from dams recklessly. Our farmers don't refrain from switching on the gen-set because power to them is absolutely free, diesel to them comes subsidized and there is no tax on drawing water from underground. Our urban citizens too don't really pay the real price of water. But this 'marginal gain' at one side is offset by the similar or in fact higher 'marginal losses' at the other side. The oil subsidy bill is one such example, that comprise costs accruing due to sheer extravagant usage of water and in turn ramps up the oil consumption.
Kids in our schools are taught that water is a renewable resource. But water is seemingly, getting finite. It's sources such as polar caps and glaciers are melting day by day. The excessive, unwarranted and free usage of water is making us pay that cost of water some-where else.
So, the question is that where then does the common man pay the cost of water? Well we pay the price of water on :
Vegetables and Fruits Prices
Courtesy poor monsoon, the water is procured from underground water table using pumps. Consequently, due to declining water table, farmers need to dig deeper and water is pumped from deep inside earth. This increases energy consumption per hectare for the farmers and hence increases the cost to the farmer which in turn is passed on to the end consumer when the consumer purchases food grains, vegetables and fruits etc...
Electricity Costs
Due to rising demand of water and receding water tables , water is transported from far-off places to the water starved localities. This long distance transportaion through pipelines soaks up lot of energy , which could have been used for some better purposes. Hence causing the electricity shortage .
Crude Oil Prices
As we need more and more crops to feed our burgeoning population , we need more energy to draw water for our agriculture, consequently we need more oil . In a way, agriculture is converting oil into food. Urban consumers too rely on oil for water. Most cities are transporting water from far off sources. Electric generator sets, backed by diesel ones, pump water to the end consumers at a price that is rising with each hike in energy tariffs.
Water that trickles from our tap every morning has a high correlation with the crude oil docking at port.
Government Subsidies
Due to erratic monsoon , the farm output decreases. This leads to lower contribution of agriculture to the GDP, consequently pulling down the overall GDP. Which pushes government to take some measures to instill confidence in the market, thereby it spends more of its tax collected in providing relief to farmers rather than investing in infrastructure and other employment generating opportunities.
Reduced Exports
Agriculture in India contributes over 10% to the national exports. Over drawing of water and unpredictable monsoon leads to imbalance in the water supply needed for agriculture and impacts the farm produce. Thus paucity of water impacts the agriculture production, and hence the exports, which ultimately impacts our Balance of payment.
What can be done therefore, to increase the SUPPLY of water?
Our industries suck up more than 50% of water from dams. So they need to lead the show, by consuming water economically. Our Government can help by rectifying leaking pipelines, using treated waste water for agriculture and industry, more fuel-efficient gen-sets. Our farmers can do their bit, by responsibly drawing water for their land and our urban population can assist by resorting to civilized usage of tap water.
Need of the hour is that we build as many Desalination (a technology which converts sea water into drinking water) Plants we can, along the coastal belts, that we are blessed with. More projects such as that in Minjur (Tamilnadu) or the upcoming one at Dahej (Gujarat), needs to be created on war level, so that more sweet water can be made available to industrial use.Middle east countries are mitigating their water crisis by investing in desalination. Today, Saudi Arabia uses 85% of water from the desalinated plants for the purpose of irrigation.
On legislature front, requisite Water Policies should be rolled out of the parliament , which guides the consumers on its usage and price etc..
After all Water is Life. And we are playing with it...... Aren't we?
Source: www.ghoshmalay.blogspot.in
- Malay Ghosh
Very well thought out article Malay.
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