India is fortunate with a diverse ecosystem, stunning scenery, and good climatic and

environmental conditions. The nation boasts an odd diversity of climatic areas, from frigid
temperate and alpine in the Himalayan north to hot and humid tropical in the south. The country
also values its extensive water heritage. India has a centuries-old practice of water harvesting,
demonstrating the regard that people have always had for water. Water has historically been
treasured, conserved, and stored. Although there were many different types of water harvesting
systems, on a broad scale, reservoirs were built in a coordinated manner with the primary
purpose of constructing a storage system. Despite all these benefits, it is sad that India now hosts
a significant share of the world's "water poor" population. Only 4% of the world's freshwater
resources are found here, but it is home to 18% of the population. There is currently a lot of
pressure on underground reservoirs due to the country's agitating climate variability, rapid
urbanization, and competitive demand for water for agriculture, industry, energy production, and
municipal supply, making it increasingly difficult to meet the water challenges of the near future.
The essay identifies flaws in the current water distribution and consumption systems, which are
designed to provide results quickly at the expense of ecological boundaries. Additionally, it
makes the case that India's traditional water resources, like ponds, reservoirs, etc., must be
urgently revived to better deal with the deteriorating water conditions throughout the nation. The
essay also suggests that by regaining traditional water culture's knowledge and wisdom and
fusing it with contemporary scientific techniques and technologies, the flaws of the current water
system can be effectively solved. A more relevant water infrastructure incorporating
development within the sustainable water cycle can be created by combining traditional water
culture and sustainable techniques. Like the rest of the world, India now shares a common
concern about water scarcity. Every state is impacted by declining groundwater levels and
inadequate water resources to fulfill demand. There is little doubt that if nothing is done, the
problem will only get worse due to the growing population and the effects of global warming.
The primary cause of individuals being forced to move to cities that are already struggling with
population pressure is a water shortage in rural areas. In addition, many human pressures are
already on metropolitan areas, such as industrial growth, desertification, pollution, and
biodiversity loss. This fact alone calls for immediate action to conserve the already limited
resources in rural areas, without which the situation will only worsen over time and spiral out of
control. It is crucial first to identify the underlying causes of the challenging water crisis in order
to address them. Most people, including the media and policymakers, have asserted that it is
neither the delayed monsoon nor the lack of rain. It is more likely the government's long-
standing ignorance. The leading causes of the current water problem include ignoring an unwise
distribution system, encouraging bad habits, and abusing the nation's water resources. In addition
to inevitable reasons like growing urbanization, population expansion, and industrialization that
can be held equally accountable for the impending disaster, these are the more significant ones.
Although issues like climate change have gotten out of control, its roots may also be traced back
to various human actions. In addition to this, and perhaps most importantly, India's traditional
water resources have been severely neglected, worsening the current water problem.

References:
1. World Water Day 2022: How India is addressing its water needs. (2022, March 14).

World Bank. Retrieved July 28, 2022, from

https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/india/brief/world-water-day-2022-how-india-is-

addressing-its-water-needs