India has the world’s largest water infrastructure, but the poorest water delivery system in the world.
On World Water Day 2012, water experts are demanding a dramatic revamp of the present water management strategy .
Unlike the US and Australia, which have built over 500 cubic meters of water storage per capita, India can store only 200 cubic meters per person. Even China has surged ahead and stores 1,000 cubic meters of water per capita.
Moreover, India stores around 30 days of rainfall compared to 900 days being stored in the other major river basins.
Water expert Prof. Vikram Soni pointed out “while industrialised countries harness over 80 per cent of their hydropower potential, India presently harnesses 20 per cent despite the fact that the Himalayan hydropower sites are amongst the most benign in the world.”
Himanshu Thakkar, who heads the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People, has highlighted the need to evolve a new strategy especially in the context of climate change.
ôGroundwater is India’s water lifeline and the government must work to increase soil moisture holding capacity in the country,” Mr Thakkar said.
Mr Thakkar expressed regret that neither the National Action Plan for Climate Change or the Water Missions have taken the first step to work with farmers dependent on rain fed agriculture.
India has more than 17 per cent of the world’s population it has only four per cent of the world’s renewable water resources.
The Environment Support Group (ESG) has taken this argument forward to show that the seven billion people on the planet drink between two to four litres of water every day.
“Most of the water we drink is embedded in the food we eat. One kg o f beef requires 15,000 litres of water, while one kg of wheat drinks up 1,500 litres,” said Leo Saldanha of ESG.