WATER CONSERVATION

Water conservation is a complex and daunting,
particularly in a human dominated country like India having
several competing demands. The result of excessive use, waste, pollution and allied activities have resulted
in the current situation with reduced flow of the country’s dying rivers and other water bodies,
deepening of water table and sites of unmanageable crowds at water distribution points.

Water conservation primarily involves the following three objectives:

A. Enhance water availability -

This could be mainly achieved by adopting a mixed strategy focusing on the protection
and restoration of natural ecosystems (forests, grasslands, and wetland including rivers),
increasing green cover aiming at source sustainability, managing riparian forest buffers,
adoption of water efficient diversified agriculture, encouraging rainwater harvesting,
undertaking massive soil and moisture conservation efforts,
storage in reservoirs, water budgeting, recycling and reuse.

B. Improve water quality –

This means effective law enforcement and stringent regulations, pollution control,
restrictions on pouring of sewage, urban waste, industrial effluents and even prohibition
on use of toxics (pesticides and weedicides) in agriculture,
establishment of STPs and water treatment plants and adoption of bioremediation techniques.

C. Reducing water-related risks –

Considerable area of the country is being annually impacted by droughts, floods,
long dry spells and different health hazards. Adoption of integrated watershed management programme,
flood control mechanisms, climate resilient agriculture, promotion of alternate
income generation activities and sustainable livelihoods can minimize risks and disaster management.