ISSUE 01 | JANUARY 2020
BC FORUM
BIKERS CLUB ® | MAGAZINE | PAGE 43
Water Scarcity - Water Stress in India &
Prevention of Water Scarcity consumed plus the water inherent in products
imported, then subtracted by water in exports.
Water scarcity is insufficient freshwater resources to
meet the human and environmental demands of a
given area. Adequate access to safe drinking water is a
priority for global development. However, given the
challenges of population growth, profligate use,
growing population, and changes in weather patterns
due to global warming, many countries, both wealthy
and poor are facing water scarcity in the 21st century. India's water footprint is 980 cubic meters per capita,
rank below the global average of 1234 cubic meters.
India contributes roughly 12% of the world's total
water footprint.
Types of Water Scarcity
There are two types of water scarcity:
Physical water scarcity
Economic water scarcity
Physical Water Scarcity
Physical or absolute water scarcity is the result of
regions demand outpacing the limited water
resources found in that location. As per the Food and
Agricultural organisation (FAO) of the United Nations,
around 1.2 Billion people live in areas of physical
scarcity; many of these people live in arid or semi-arid
regions. People impacted by this kind of water
scarcity are expected to grow as populations increase
and as weather patterns become more unpredictable
due to climate change.
Economic Water Scarcity
This kind of water scarcity primarily arises due to lack
of water infrastructure in general or due to the poor
management of water resources where the
infrastructure is in place. As per FAO estimates more
than 1.6 Billion people face economic water shortage.
Economic water scarcity can also arise due to
unregulated water use for agriculture and industry at
the expense of the general population.
What is Water Footprint?
Everything that we consume in our daily life, whatever
we eat, sell, buy, wear requires water to make them.
Water footprint measures the amount of water used
to produce each of the goods and services we use. It
can be measured for any process, like growing crops,
for producing clothes, for fuel we use in our travels, or
for a multinational company.
A nation's water footprint is defined as the total
amount of water needed for the production of goods
and services calculated by adding all the water
Effects of Water Scarcity Across the Globe
The problem of water scarcity has gained a lot of
importance due to the potential damage it can inflict.
As per some reports, 1.1 billion people worldwide lack
access to water, and a total of 2.7 billion people find
water scarce for at least one month of the year.
As per 2017 Global Risks Report of the World
Economic Forum, in terms of impact on humanity,
the water crisis is ranked as the 3rd most important
global risk.
Governments will be forced to choose between
agricultural, industrial, municipal or environmental
interests and some groups would win at the
expense of others.
Water scarcity can result in forced migration. It may
lead to domestic or regional conflicts, in
geopolitically fragile areas.
As per the UN report, over 2 billion people live in
countries experiencing high water stress. As per
UNESCO 24 million and 700 million people will be
displaced in some Arid and Semi-arid regions by
2030.
Inadequate sanitation is also a problem for 2.4
billion people. They are exposed to diseases, such
as Cholera and Typhoid fever, and other water-
borne illnesses. 2 million people, mostly children,
die each year from diarrheal diseases alone.
Water Scarcity in India
India has 4% of the world's freshwater which has to
cater to 17% of the world's population.
As per NITI Aayog report released in June 2019, India is
facing the worst-ever water crisis in history.
Approximately 600 million people or roughly 45% of
the population in India is facing high to severe water
stress. As per the report, 21 Indian cities will run out of
their main source of water i.e. groundwater by 2020.
The report goes on to say that nearly 40% of the
population will have absolutely no access to drinking
water by 2030 and 6% of India's GDP will be lost by
2050 due to the water crisis.
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