Why Pre-Monsoon months are crucial for India?

A little girl went on a vacation to Europe with her parents. She was shocked to see that her parents were using drinkable water very judiciously, unlike in their hometown in India.

Well, as they say, we never know the worth of water till the well is dry.

The curious soul asked her mother, why are we so careful about water here, is it some type of special water? Her mother quaintly replied that it is precious because it is clean and drinkable. It is also limited and essential for everyone so comes at a cost. The little girl was shocked at the hypocrisy, “It’s a shame that we use this prime resource so carelessly back in India, but are so careful here.”

Indians have had a tradition of not letting anyone leave their homes without at least drinking water. Moreover, it is available free of cost at most places including small dhabas or fancy hospitals. But it will not be late before it will be a privilege to drink clean and pure water.

A famous quote states that ‘Thousands have lived without love, but not one without water.’

Water is an essential resource and is a central character across human activities and subjects, such as, history (all ancient civilisations developed alongside rivers), biology (humans are 70% water), physiology (human systems are water-dependent), environment (water cycle, forests, marine life), science, geography, political science, literature, etc. The vastness of the role of water in human lives is non-negotiable; therefore, studying it is just not enough, we must celebrate every drop of water that we are blessed with.

So it is pretty clear that in the near future, the next crisis affecting the entire world is going to be the water crisis. To begin with, we need to understand both the availability and the patterns of our consumption. India has 18 per cent of the world’s population but has only 4 per cent of the global water resources. Contrary to popular belief, maximum consumption of water is neither for domestic use nor industrial. Agriculture consumes over 85% of this essential resource.

Farmers get only 40 per cent of assured irrigation and hence depend heavily either on rains or on groundwater to fulfil their needs. With monsoon spells varying every year, off 4 months, we get just 30 days of heavy rainfall. And the saddest part is that all our efforts to conserve rainwater remain miserably inadequate.

To create awareness, this year on World Water Day i.e. on 22 March 2021, the Hon'ble Prime Minister launched Jal Shakti Abhiyan - Catch the rain campaign to conserve every drop of water, thereby appealing to the people of the country to come forward for water conservation in villages and urban areas.

Long-term sustainable planning of drinking water sources and schemes ensures safe drinking water availability even during distress period. The Prime Minister has emphasized that the better India manages rainwater, the lesser its dependence on groundwater. If we work hard and make plans to save water ahead of rains, we can prevent losses amounting to the tune of billions of rupees during a famine, which leads to stoppage of all works, suffering to the common people, and the migration of animals.

Since the announcement of the Jal Jeevan Mission on 15 August 2019, 4.03 Crore rural households have been provided with tap water connections thus tap water supply in rural households increased from 3.23 Crore (17%) to 7.27 Crore (38 %). Andaman & Nicobar Islands have joined Goa and Telangana to provide tap water connection to every household. We have to take forward these works, so that the remaining households in all other villages are also provided with tap water connections by 2024.

Modi government has made water governance a priority in its policies and decisions. In the last 6 years, many steps have been taken in this direction viz. Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojna, water campaign to every farm - Har Khet ko Pani, 'Per Drop More Crop' campaign and Namami Gange Mission, Jal Jeevan Mission or Atal Bhujal Yojana. The prime objective is simple, the better we manage rainwater, the lesser the country's dependence on groundwater. Therefore, the success of campaigns like 'Catch the Rain' is imperative.

Unless all the states act together, we will not be able to achieve the goals of these schemes and consequently face a severe crisis. We need a ‘we first’ approach instead of a ‘me first’ approach. Being Water Smart is no longer an option, it is the necessity of life itself.

Madhuri Shukla is an independent columnist and writer who writes on environmental science, technology and medicine.