Indian Rivers And Water Resources

Groundwater is located below the earth surface. Over time water from rain and river migrate through the land and gets stored in the soils.

a. The tremendous usage of it has reduced the groundwater level.

b. The borewells are dug deeper for irrigation and domestic purpose.

c. The groundwater has been majorly used for irrigation purpose and has heavily increased consumption.

d. The excessive use of groundwater has reduced the level of water, and seawater intrusion in coastal areas has also led to the contamination of groundwater.

To prevent further depletion:

a. Digging of bore wells for irrigation purpose has to be stopped and to be used only for drinking.

b. Cultivating sugarcane should be prohibited as it is a water-intensive crop.

c. Trees must be planted in forest land and roadsides.

There are three types of inflow process:

1. Precipitation: This includes snow, dew, hails etc.

2. Surface flow: These are rivers, streams, canals etc.

3. Ground flow: Consistent percolation of water into deep soil, creates an abundance of water storage. The water that we obtain through tube well.

Outflow process is:

a. Evaporation: The process of turning water into the vapor of water bodies.

b. Transpiration: the living things give off water into the atmosphere through the breathing process.

There are three types of inflow process:

1. Precipitation: This includes snow, dew, hails etc.

2. Surface flow: These are rivers, streams, canals etc.

3. Ground flow: Consistent percolation of water into deep soil, creates an abundance of water storage. The water that we obtain through tube well.

Outflow process is:

c. Evaporation: The process of turning water into the vapor of water bodies.

d. Transpiration: the living things give off water into the atmosphere through the breathing process.

The aquifers are not available for immediate use. It takes time in accumulation and then it is available.

Evaporation and transpiration are major contributors while evaporation has the most impact on groundwater resources.

Tungabhadra is a river that flows in the southern region of India mainly through the state of Karnataka to Andhra Pradesh.

Challenges faced in the basin are:

a. The rise of industries has increased consumption of water.

b. The major population of the region is dependent upon agriculture and water is heavily consumed for irrigation purpose.

c. The consumption of water by the higher portion of the region has led to drought condition in the lower regions.

d. Green cover has decreased, and water runoff has been at a faster rate.

Solutions to the problems:

a. A forestation must be promoted, and mass awareness should be raised.

b. Water management system to control and regulate the wastage of water.

c. The cropping pattern must be changed, and water extensive crops must be brought into practice.

Water is a basic need for survival and though present in abundance, but extensive usage of water has led to its depletion.

Planning for water use for domestic, agricultural and other purpose is the utmost demand of the time.

The positive changes are:

a. Inducting advanced technology in agriculture has made farming easier and productivity has also increased.

b. The industrial wastes that were earlier disposed of are now recycled.

c. Construction of irrigation dams and hydel projects, etc

The negative changes are:

a. Urbanization has led to an influx of people and heavy burden on the cities.

b. Deforestation has been done on a large scale for setting up of factories, building public places etc.

c. Industrialization has increased the level of pollution in air and water.

Innovation was brought in the farming practices and conservation by the people of Hizware bazaar.

d. To prevent the soil erosion Continuous Contour trenches were dug in the hilly regions by harvesting water and planting grass.

e. The villager's built check dams, percolation tanks and loose boulder structure to prevent water from being wasted.

f. Deforestation was completely banned. They named it kurhad bandi meaning axe ban.

g. Digging of borewells for irrigation purpose was stopped and to be used only for drinking.

h. Cultivating sugarcane was prohibited as it is a water-intensive crop.

i. Trees were planted in forest land and roadsides.

The groundwater, which has been getting accumulated for years has become the main source especially for agriculture and domestic use. The tremendous usage of it has reduced the groundwater level. Similarly, there are other water resources like a river which is being contaminated with the release of pollution into the water bodies.

People’s awareness and laws by the government are very important to prevent the depletion of water resources.

1. The people need to control or limit the usage of water. There could be fewer borewells and mainly to be used for drinking purposes.

2. Water is a collective of a pool of resources and it is not possible to regulate the resources as the consumption of each source is interlinked.

3. The laws at present are not as absolute as they are limited to the owners.

The Andhra Pradesh water, land and trees act 2002 has been framed to promote water conservation, enhance tree cover and regulate ground and surface water in the state.

Under this act, authority is set to promote the notion.

The functions of the authority are:

1. Promote water conservation and tree cover in the state.

2. Regulate exploitation of groundwater.

3. Advise the government on taking measures for the conservation.

4. Strengthen public participation.

a. The drinking water in the area is supplied by the municipality through reservoir, pumps or bore well.

b. Monthly payment is done for the water supply at homes.

c. In farmlands, the farmers or the owners dig the pumps and provide the water supply for irrigation to the nearby farmers.

d. Companies sell bottles filled with water for drinking purposes at public places.

There should be some type of checks and balances in this system. This would help in determining the person or organisation wasting more water and they could be punished so as to discourage misuse.