Building water security in a rapidly drying India.
The monsoon cannot fix India’s water problem; policy could.
ailability, but limited data on withdrawals, losses, and consumption at the basin scale’ | Photo Credit: The Hindu
Indian cities — from Bengaluru to Mussoorie (Uttarakhand) — are reeling under severe water stress. June saw a monsoon rainfall deficit of over 40%. Delhi is facing a severe shortage, and water supply has plummeted to about 70% of the total demand of 1,250 million gallons per day. Research by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) further finds that 11 out of 15 major river basins in India are experiencing water stress, with annual water availability below 1,700 m3 per person. Several of them, including the Krishna, Cauvery, Mahi, and Tapi basins, are below the water scarcity threshold of 1,000 m3 per person.
