OPINION: Save water to save life

Have you ever thought to life without water? According to a new report, conflicts over water scarcity and water control could threaten the stability of countries, in the next decade. As finite resources continue to diminish and countries and multi-national corporations (MNC's) try to control water, it will become the new oil. The world is starting to feel the symptoms of chronic water shortages in third world countries, as documented in “A World without Water.” 8 year old Vanessa in El Alto, Bolivia travels one mile to fetch water from an unreliable well. 

There is countless number of people around the world, do not have access to potable water. Water is a privilege and it looks that the time will shortly come that water will be available to those who can afford to pay for it.

Every child learns that our finite supply of water can never run out, as long as it remains part of the hydrological cycle. But what use is it if it is polluted or extracted from its natural cycle? Only 3% of Earth’s water is fresh while 97% is salt water. Much of that 3% is already polluted from chemicals used to maximize agricultural productivity.

Although major wars over water have yet to occur, according to Fred Pearce, author of “When the Rivers Run Dry,” the first modern water war, occurred in 1967, called the six-day war. Three years earlier, Israeli engineers created a dam to reroute the Jordan River into Israel without the consent of Jordan. The then commander of the Israeli forces Ariel Sharon, said, “While the border disputes were of great significance, the matter of water diversion was a stark issue of life and death.” Today, Israel’s occupation of the West Bank gives it control of the western aquifer and its control of the Golan Heights gives it control of the Jordan River. In part, the Arab-Israeli issue is a conflict over water and future negotiations will include water control. As climate change and perennial droughts continue to affect the third world, it is only a matter of time until water becomes the new oil. Until then, the billions of children will continue to fetch water from unreliable sources.

Oh! Taking the case of our own country, the heat of sun is too much even it is now intolerable.  All records are being crossed of the previous years of heat during the summer days in states like Punjab, HP, Rajasthan, Haryana, Bihar, Orissa, Jharkhand and Maharashtra.  With the increase of temperature, the water level is going down day by day.  It looks that the thirst is increasing but hopes are being quenched.  The scientists may find water on the moon but the problem to be solved of water is of the people living on planet earth.  There was a time when the entire north used to be facing the heat of the sun but the HP and J&K were cool but now even the air-conditioner are a part of the summer days.  The position is such that even the heat is being felt at the height of 5,200 feet at Vaishno Devi temple.  The temperature of HP is also higher by 3 to 8 degree than the normal temperature and this time due to less rain, the hills have become hot.

The water level has gone down in Punjab, Haryana, MP and Delhi whereas the demand of water and electricity has gone up and the people are not getting the sufficient supply of both water and electricity.  In such circumstances, naturally there is hue and cry among the people.  Neither there had been any specific policy on water nor has any serious study been conducted by any agency.  One of the main reason for shortage of water in the urban is the wastage of water in the cities and behind this shortage of water, the water tanker mafia is also working with the connivance of politicians and it has become a big issue now. 

Just think it over ! Without water, there is no life.

It is an admitted fact that in case there is no water, there will be no life and development work would also be stand-still.  There was a time, for installing the hand-pump, the water was available just at 5 ft and how it has to be dug even upto 300 ft to get the clean drinking water.

The temperature at Arctic has increased three times during the last one decade.  There is no doubt that the reason for increase in temperature on earth is due to producing of carbon dioxide with the human activities.  In fact, we ourselves have created a imbalance in the environment. The water is used for irrigation purposes, vegetation is reducing and the rivers are so polluted that the water is not fit for use.  There is no water management policy and is being wasted.  Only the better management can overcome the shortage of water.  The people have to think over while wasting the water as the each drop of water is valuable.  There is a need to save the water otherwise the human itself will not survive.  In case we have to save ourselves from war, then we have to save the water by worshipping it. 

No doubt, the scientists have predicted the better monsoon this year so that the thirst of earth is quenched.  For the time being, everyone is thirsty.

(Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author in this article are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of City Air News.)