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Topic: Introduction
Topic: Water Scarcity and the Need for Water Conservation and Management
1. The availability of water resources varies over space and time, mainly due to
the variations in seasonal and annual precipitation.
2. But water scarcity in most cases is caused by over- exploitation, excessive use
and unequal access to water among different social groups.
3. Over-exploitation of groundwater for growing more crops lead to falling
groundwater levels, lesser water availability and food insecurity in the country.
4. Situation where water is sufficiently available to meet the needs of the people,
but, the area still suffers from water scarcity is due to water pollution.
Q.1 Explain four reasons water scarcity in the cities of our country.
Ans. The main reasons are:
i. Large and growing population: Water scarcity in cities is an outcome of
large and growing population. It means more water for domestic use and
also to produce more food. To achieve higher food-grain production, more
irrigation is required. Thus high irrigation means over-exploitation of ground
water resources.
ii. Industrialization: The growing number of industries in the country has put
pressure on existing freshwater resources. Industries require large amount
of water and also require electric power to run them. Much of this energy
comes from hydroelectric power through dams which affects natural flow of
water.
iii. Urbanization: Multiplying urban centres with large and dense populations
and urban lifestyles need more water and energy requirements. The housing
societies or colonies in the cities have their own groundwater pumping
devices to meet their water needs. Thus the water resources are being
overexploited and have caused their depletion in several of these cities.
Q.2 Why the conservation and management of our water resources is needed?
Ans. The conservation and management of our water resources is necessary for:
i. To safeguard ourselves from health hazards,
ii. To ensure food security, continuation of our livelihoods and productive activities
and
iii. To prevent degradation of our natural ecosystems.
iv. Over exploitation and mismanagement of water resources will deplete water
resource and cause ecological crisis.
Q.4 Why did Jawaharlal Nehru proclaimed the dams as the temples of modern
India?
Ans. The reason he proclaimed them as temples are:
i. Dams would integrate development of each sector of the economy.
ii. Dams were thought of as the vehicle that would lead the nation to
development and progress,
iii. They would develop agriculture and the village economy
iv. They would develop industries.
v. They would help in the growth of the urban economy.
Q.5 Why the Multi-purpose projects and large dams have come under great
opposition?
Ans. The reasons are:
a. Affect natural flow of running water:
i. Hence, it causes excessive sedimentation at the bottom of the
reservoir.
ii. It results in rockier stream beds.
iii. They also fragment rivers making it difficult for aquatic fauna to
migrate, especially for breeding.
b. Affect natural vegetation and soil:
i. The reservoirs that are created on the floodplains also submerge
the existing vegetation and soil leading to its decomposition over
a period of time.
ii. The flood plains are deprived of silt, a natural fertiliser, further
adding on to the problem of land degradation.
c. Cause of many social movements:
i. They have been a cause of many new social movements like the
Narmada Bachao Andolan and the Tehri Dam Andolan etc.
d. Displacement of people:
i. They results in the large-scale displacement of local communities.
ii. Local people often had to give up their land, livelihood for the
nation.
iii. The local people are not benefiting from such projects.