With increasing population growth and industrialization, the demand for water has been steadily increasing apparently leading to several regions facing serious water scarcity and drought conditions, which have severe social, economic, and environmental impacts. From the time immemorial, water has remained the most precious resource that is essential for all forms of life on Earth having no alternative.
In the present times, it is important to reflect on the judicial use of water and how we can preserve and protect water bodies. Access to clean water is a fundamental human right, recognized even by the United Nations. However, in many parts of the world, this right is not being fulfilled, besides the water bodies are endangered with several even drying up. Adding more to the droopiness, most regions witness constant decrease in annual rainfall. As per the latest data released for the first five months of the year gone by, Jammu and Kashmir recorded a rain deficiency of 38%.
Against a normal rainfall of 559.2mm, the UT received only 345.4mm of rainfall between January 1 and May 31. In comparison, 34% deficiency was witnessed in 2020 and 11.5% in 2021 for the same time period. Between June and September 2020, 34% deficient rainfall was recorded in J&K and 29% in 2021.
From March to May 2022, the UT received only 99.5mm of rainfall, which is the lowest spring rainfall since 2005. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 2.2 billion people lack access to safe drinking water, and about 4.2 billion people lack access to safely managed sanitation services.
This has significant health implications, with around 829,000 deaths per year attributed to inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene. In addition to human health concerns, water scarcity also has significant economic implications. According to the World Bank, water scarcity and poor water quality could reduce global GDP by up to 6% by 2050. This is due to the impact on industries such as agriculture, energy production, and manufacturing, which rely heavily on water.
Through the implementation of judicial water use policies, we could only address the issue. The government could initiate the efficient management and allocation of water resources, as well as the development of technologies and practices that reduce water usage and waste. Like precision agriculture with the usage of sensors and data analysis to optimize water use in crop production since it has been shown to reduce water usage by up to 40%, besides protection and preservation of water bodies including bug and small. Our oceans cover over 70% of the Earth’s surface and play a crucial role in regulating the planet’s climate and weather patterns.
However, even the oceans are facing numerous threats. According to the United Nations, over 80% of marine pollution comes from land-based sources like agricultural runoff, sewage, and industrial waste. This pollution has significant impacts on marine ecosystems. It is important and need to implement judicial water use policies and to protect and preserve water bodies in J&K. By taking these actions, we can ensure a sustainable future for ourselves and for future generations.
