Context:
The water crisis in Karnataka has impacted over 7,000 villages, 1,100 wards, and 220 talukas, extending its repercussions to Mandya and Mysuru districts. These regions are significant as they encompass a major Cauvery river watershed and the Krishnaraja Sagardam, vital sources of water for Bengaluru. While the capital city has dominated headlines, the crisis’s effects are more far-reaching.
Relevance:
- GS1- Urbanisation
- GS2- Inter-State Water Disputes
- GS3- Climate Change
Mains Question:
Why do rapidly growing cities like Bengaluru in India, struggle with water accessibility and availability? How can we plan better to ensure better water management in such areas? (10 Marks, 150 Words).
Causes of the Ongoing Water Crisis:
Rainfall Deficit:
- According to reports, the underlying cause of this crisis can be traced back to insufficient rainfall in the previous year, following a surplus in 2022, resulting in the inadequate replenishment of the Cauvery.
- Karnataka has a history of erratic rainfall patterns, as demonstrated by a Coffee Agro-forestry Network (CAFNET) project a decade ago. The project assessed 60 years of data, revealing a two-week reduction in the rainy season over Kodagu in the past three decades, with annual rainfall fluctuating in a 12-14-year cycle.
- Surprisingly, the current crisis caught Bengaluru unprepared, despite being one of India’s wealthiest urban municipalities and hosting numerous research institutions.
Water Body Pollution:
- Water sources in Bengaluru face contamination from industrial discharges, untreated sewage, and solid waste dumping, rendering them unsuitable for consumption and further reducing the available water supply.
- A study by the Environmental Management & Policy Research Institute (EMPRI) indicates that approximately 85% of Bengaluru’s water bodies are polluted by industrial effluents, sewage, and solid waste dumping.
Groundwater Recharge Rate:
- Bengaluru, a city that consumes approximately 1,400 million liters per day from both the Cauvery and groundwater reserves, faces challenges due to a lower groundwater recharge rate and the compromised state of the Cauvery, resulting from deficient rainfall last year.
- It is important to note that these deficits are relative to Bengaluru’s escalating demand for water. The situation is even more dire in areas farther from the city center, where piped water from the Cauvery is not accessible. These regions rely on groundwater and water tankers for their water supply.
- This irony persists as the city, historically engineered to distance itself from remote water sources and harness its abundance of lakes until the 19th century, now grapples with the dwindling of seasonal lakes and the strangulation of perennial lakes due to concretization and sewage issues.
Climate Change:
- Climate change poses a time-sensitive crisis, instigating non-linear transformations that yield disproportionate and, at times, irreversible consequences. Governments, often ill-prepared, find themselves compelled to enact swift responses to issues that have been brewing for decades.
- Even if the erratic rainfall isn’t directly linked to climate change, the unpredictability it introduces signifies a looming challenge.
Inadequate Infrastructure:
- The city’s infrastructure, encompassing water supply systems and sewage networks, has not kept pace with its exponential growth.
- This deficiency exacerbates challenges in efficiently distributing water to meet the rising demands of the expanding population.
- The completion of Phase-5 of the Cauvery project, aimed at providing 110 litres of drinking water daily to 12 lakh people, is anticipated by May 2024.
Focus on Short-term Measures:
- Cities like Bengaluru, representative of most urban centers in India, tend to implement short-term measures during crises but often overlook long-term perspectives once the immediate threat subsides.
- The rapid growth experienced by Bengaluru in this century and a tendency towards short-term thinking are incompatible.
Way Forward:
- A sustainable approach demands bipartisan solutions that extend beyond the typical five-year electoral cycles.
- It calls for the establishment of a circular water economy, optimizing the utilization of every liter and diminishing the city’s reliance on external water sources.
- Essential to this endeavor is the restoration and preservation of a clean and healthy Cauvery, recognizing the interconnectedness of environmental well-being and urban sustainability.
- Inefficient water management practices, such as wastage, leakage, and unequal distribution, amplify the severity of the water scarcity crisis. Some areas receive inadequate or irregular water supply, contributing to the challenges faced by residents.
Conclusion:
Only through these comprehensive measures can cities like Bengaluru navigate the challenges posed by climate change and ensure a resilient and sustainable future. By promoting the active involvement of all stakeholders and enacting effective policies that prioritize long-term sustainability over immediate benefits, India can chart a course toward a future where every citizen has access to secure and dependable groundwater resources.
