Constituency water security Defeating drought Indira Khurana, PhD IPE Global Limited dr.indira.khurana@gmail.com

Global thirst When one man drinks while another can only watch, Doomsday follows – Turkish proverb By 2025, 1.8 billion people will be living in regions or countries with absolute water scarcity. Already 1.2 billion are living in physical water scarcity. Implications for world peace and equitable socioeconomic development.

India’s water resources Utilisable Water available is 1,200 BCM Rivers, groundwater, ponds, lakes, springs By 2050, predictions of around 50 percent gap between demand and supply

Groundwater dependency India is the largest groundwater extractor in the world Agriculture accounts for 80 per cent of water use: 70 per cent is groundwater More than 80 per cent of rural drinking water from groundwater. Urban drinking water increasingly groundwater dependent Industry increasingly groundwater dependent Where is the water?

Water: Nature’s asset Water is A human right Drives growth In Israel, every drop of water is used twice. Is efficiency in use possible? Across all sectors?

Water pollution “The health of our water is a principle measure of how we live on the land.” Almost 70 per cent of surface water resources are polluted Almost half of groundwater reserves contaminated and causing disease and death Sources unsafe for human consumption and irrigation and industrial needs How is India going to deal with this ticking quality bomb?

Can we be better prepared? Drought devastation Two-thirds of India drought prone Between 1900-2006, nearly 1,061 million people were affected and 4.25 million lost their lives As on May 4, 2016 330 million people, 256 districts, 10 states Can we be better prepared?

Is drought proofing possible? Drought devastation Drought affects agriculture, industry, drinking water Leading to: GDP loss, poverty, mass migration, productivity loss, disease and death Is drought proofing possible?

Implications of 2016 drought Crop failure Drinking water crisis Mass migration Poverty, hunger Power plant shut down Industry shut down Healthcare facilities breakdown Women and children at risk Children education affected Can something be done?

Rainwater harvesting must be up-scaled Capturing rain YES! India is twice blessed: Rainfall Tradition of harvesting This year a normal monsoon is predicted Rainwater harvesting must be up-scaled

Towards water abundance and security When you see clouds gathering, prepare to catch rainwater - Gola People of Liberia This is what we need to do  

Capturing rain Every corner of India has a tradition of water harvesting suited to geography, rainfall These need to be revived and multiplied

Capturing rain

Capturing rain: learning from others Other countries doing rainwater harvesting for drinking and other purposes Germany Japan Singapore Australia China Sri Lanka Bangladesh Nepal Pakistan Tanzania

Save India’s rivers Most small streams contribute to river flows Small streams flow when saturated sub-surface flows release excess water Droughts prevented when sub-surface flows are protected

Constituency water security What MPs can do SHORT TERM Form drought mitigation committees Tanker water supply in areas of drinking water scarcity Arrange for water and fodder for livestock in livestock camps Use MPLAD, MGNREGA Funds Implementation of the Right to Food (RTF), community kitchens Restore/rehabilitate/ create water conservation structures

Constituency water security What MPs can do LONG TERM Adopt community centred approaches and involve civil society organisations Constituency plan for rainwater conservation Constituency plan for water use Assessment for drinking water; protection of drinking water sources Use MPLAD and other funds for rainwater conservation

Constituency water security What MPs can do LONG TERM Implement government pilot projects Create water banks by artificial groundwater recharge Restore/rehabilitate/ create water conservation structures Water audits for new development projects Promote agricultural crops which can grow in available water Encourage water efficiency in agriculture Promote water responsible industry

Thank you