Development of water resources

Due to its multiple benefits and the problems created by its excesses, shortages and quality deterioration, water as a resource requires special attention. Requirement of technological/engineering intervention for development of water resources to meet the varied requirements of man or the human demand for water, which are also unevenly distributed, is hence essential.

The development of water resources, though a necessity, is now pertinent to be made sustainable. The concept of sustainable development implies that development meets the needs of the present life, without compromising on the ability of the future generation to meet their own needs. This is all the more important for a resource like water. Sustainable development would ensure minimum adverse impacts on the quality of air, water and terrestrial environment. The long term impacts of global climatic change on various components of hydrologic cycle are also important.

India has sizeable resources of water and a large cultivable land but also a large and growing population to feed. Erratic distribution of rainfall in time and space leads to conditions of floods and droughts which may sometimes occur in the same region in the same year. India has about 16% of the world population as compared to only 4% of the average annual runoff in the rivers.

With the present population of more than 1000 million, the per capita water availability comes to about 1170 m3 per person per year. Here, the average does not reflect the large disparities from region to region in different parts of the country. Against this background, the problems relating to water resources development and management have been receiving critical attention of the Government of India. The country has prepared and adopted a comprehensive National Water Policy in the year 1987, revised in 2002 with a view to have a systematic and scientific development of it water resources. This has been dealt with in Lesson 1.3, “Policies for water resources development”.

Some of the salient features of the National Water Policy (2002) are as follows:

•         Since the distribution of water is spatially uneven, for water scarce areas, local technologies like rain water harvesting in the domestic or community level has to be implemented.

•         Technology for/Artificial recharge of water has also to be bettered.

•         Desalination methods may be considered for water supply to coastal towns.