Make "Water Conservation" compulsory in all buildings,apartments.Privatize "Water Management" systems which will bring in more efficiency.Spread awareness about the potential problems arising due to water scarcity. I think this is more an awareness issue.There is attitude which has to be eradicated.For this each one can take steps by spreading awareness among friends,relatives and neighbourhood.

More steps for saving water are

1. Do not use shower or bath tub .Use bucket instead.
2. Use washing machines only when absolutely necessary.
3. Rainwater harvesting as suggested already has to be popularised across all villages. 
4. Have very short showers
5. Ensure taps do not drip
6. Recycle washing water to the garden - must use only bio-degradable and natural washing liquids though.
7. Water your garden on designated days only (yes we have them here) and only water as long as necessary.

Apart from the ideas mentioned initiatives need to be taken for Rainwater harvesting at the village level.Ponds need to be created and they need to be maintained.A lot of water is rendered useless because its polluted. Lot of awareness needs to be spread at village leve.A lot of awareness needs to be spread in young students who are more receptive.

Those who wish to protect environment of India the have to concentrate on political pressure groups. Present laws, constitution, administration network, awareness is quiet enough to protect our enviroment, animals, water sources and pollution controls. People seating in ministries are not fool they know about environment. Problems are in willingness and desigion making. With Our whole country reeling under a ubiquitous water crisis,We must spread awareness about how could this problem be contained.for that, we Ourselves have to know how to deal with it. People in India have no care as to whether they save water or not.Simple steps like turning water off while brushing or shaving,cleaning of porches and balconies with buckets of water rather than running hoses,cleaning cars with buket water than running hoses etc.

Each part of the chain worsens the water problem.No single way to stop this exists.Everybody from individuals to companies to politicians should stricten up.Otherwise we're looking at water wars real soon. This is not a one day problem, this is not even one city or village problem.People in our country give damn for this have any one constructed their house with few pot hole for rain water harvesting  or the villagers have removed the silt form their ponds without waiting for the Goverment to come and help had they used drip irrigation and sprinklers or the people in the city have have disposed their waste properly with out disposing them on roads and open spaces which is the major obstruction for the water to get sunk into gound.If they have prevented the rapid decline of water table by not exploiting it by bring well( especially commercial use).

But in my opinion what is required is to spread awareness about how to save water and excatly how acute the problem is.We the middle class(or Higher as the case maybe) know how water crisis has started, but for those who use water, or rather misuse it and are middle class, or higher must be made to realize that it is a permamnent problem that we wouod be facing!.Most of it is because of population, which we cannot do much about.But the other factors like a-forestation , wastage and all are things that we can make a difference with!

After all, it is our country! We have to do it!.The river linking is something that the governmentt would be taking care of.But what about stuffs that we as citizens have to do?I was looking for some NGOs that i can join and help them spread awareness.I know the time constrains that we might have,but there is no way out with the way our politicians are. I myself am a software engineer, i plan to work on saturdays and sundays.. everyone can contribute as much as they can.

Why TamilNadu face water Scarcity? 

PROBLEM -1

kauvery,which is once a greatest river in Tamil Province till british come to india, starts at JOG falls (in present day Karnataka) and flows into TamilNadu and drains water into Bay of Bengal at Mayavaram (Poombuhar in olden days).Kauvery flows 1/3 rd in Karnataka and 2/3rd into TamilNadu. Per year it produce 500Mt of water. In that, 150Mt is used in Karnataka and 350Mt is used by TamilNadu (This figure says the normal usage if the river flows without any restriction by dam)

But after that the Karnataka got seperated and they check the water by its huge dams within Karnataka. Now only 1/3rd of Water is given to Tamilnadu and 2/3rd is taken by them.Is it correct?

PROBLEM -2

Mullai River, flows from Iduki District of Kerala towards "Vaigai River" in Madurai. Mullai merges with Vaigai in Madurai. So Vaigai is flowing all round the year.After Mullai-Periyar Dam has been built by british the water is checked within Kerala. Only if they release water it flows towards theni District and fills Vaigai-Dam there and then merges with main couse of Vaigai River.Mullai River flows well during S-W Monsoon season, in which TamilNadu does not revieve rainfall. And Vaigai itself will flow during N-E monsoon in TamilNadu. So it flows continuously.

But now, owing to the Mullai-Periyar Dam the amount of water reaching TamilNadu is very less. This is against the natural consumption of water.Is it Correct?

I am living in chennai, Mogappair, there was a lake which never get dried up even in peak summer of chennai, But unfortunately this lake was an open toilet dumping ground. Preservatoin of water resource also needs to be given importance, along with ensuring to get the due share of water from the rivers.

After living for nearly two deades in chennai, I will have to agree on that observation. People wash clothes, shit, throw garbage on precious water sources - be it lakes, canals or rivers.Even during the 60s boats plied in Cooum and Buckingham Canal. But see the state now - the water looks more evil than normal sewage. In fact, if the Cooum can be revived it will be an excellent route for public transportation connecting various congested parts of the cities in mere minutes. And having a good water source will increase the height of the water table in nearby areas by a tremendous extent.

"There is no water crisis in india, we have it flowing from all sides and no one is complaining". The perception of a tough situation as a crisis and as a task ahead is the difference bet panic and planning.With water on three sides of the peninsula, Glaciers in the north, rains from top and ground water below us, we have water pouring from 6 sides.

The UN Climate Report, Green Economics, etc. have redefined the concept of Security adding scarcity of water and land to be the vital strategic resources over which the world powers would wrangle in the near future. To dismiss these as associated but not the main factors of immediate concern, is a head in the sand approach.Water pollution is chronic and scarcity is the consequence of climate change and careless and criminal human actions. In India, many villagers fight for a single handpump and these soon degenrate into conflagrations.

This is a small pointer that might help to form a plan of action on any preliminary research on conservation projects.In a monsoonal climate like ours, where it is often deemed as the "real finance minister of India", inferential studies will help to gauge our present water state and future scenario.

Questions that can be raised are:

1. The common causes of scarcity of potable water (human, climatic).The effect of climate and seasonal winds on water level. Human-related causes for aggravating depletion.
2. Effects of droughts/floods in terms environment,human and economic costs.
3. Researching on water efficiency practices that would replace current practices that lead to waste.
4. Viability of conservation efforts in terms of micro- and macro- level efforts (How long can it be sustained and how much resource in terms of time, money and effort will go into it?). Forming a local, regional and global network working towards this goal in a feasible manner.
5. Immediate need for mapping ground water sources. Embarking on a policy initiative campaign on this. Related to it, on a larger level, is the need for Universal Metering.
6. Preventing rash real estate activities that negatively impact on forest and water areas.
7. Helping in educating the public on recycling. Finding out about ground and fresh water treatment and management and making due suggestions.

It is a mistake to assume that water scarcity has gone beyond remedial measures. There is still time and the onus lies on all countries to take steps to deal with it. Secondly, we (developing countries) have the resources and the technology to do so and it is a simple question of prioritising.With only 3% of the 70% water of earth being fit for drinking, and this being in immediate danger of depleting, I guess, this prioritizing is a no brainer.

• Written by sajeetharan.
• In category Space.
• 14 years ago.

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