Among the major initiatives taken by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, the ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain-2024’ aims to cover water conservation, geo-tagging of water bodies, desilting and cleaning of water bodies, revitalising abandoned borewells, geo-tagging, and mapping of water bodies, besides rejuvenation of small rivers and other activities.
Following closely, the corporate sector has taken major steps to reduce water usage and conserve water beyond the boundaries of the company. Ashish Ghatnekar, Chief-People & Operations at HDB Financial Services, who has been actively involved in his company’s CSR initiatives on sustainable water management practices, believes that water conservation is not the responsibility of the government alone.
The HDB Financial Services initiatives include restoring water bodies in various states, developing numerous harvesting structures and promoting sustainable agriculture in collaboration with NGOs. The need for sustainability in the restoration and conservation of small water bodies is essential.
Empowering local communities that live in and around the lakes with the knowledge and resources to consciously use, protect and augment the water bodies is the most sustainable and long-term solution
Ashish Ghatnekar
Taps running dry in certain urban regions in the country despite summer being at least a month away has brought the water crisis in the country into sharp focus. While civic bodies may have chosen to do this as a precautionary measure, it is indicative of the lack of long-term measures for water conservation.
India has four per cent of the world’s water resources but is home to over 18% of the world’s population. Further, a 2018 NITI Aayog report indicates that over 70% of the country’s water resources are contaminated. As an economy, we have set ambitious targets for growth and raising living standards in general. All of these will put a strain on available resources including water. However, that does not mean we do not set goals.
The nation has been focusing on inclusive and sustainable development with aspirational clean energy targets and housing for all, to mention a few initiatives. However, it is not the responsibility of the government alone to protect and conserve resources while focusing on growth. It is as much the responsibility of organizations, individuals and communities together to create long-term strategies for conservation as well as augmentation of existing resources.
Urban and rural India is aligning with the country’s development of infrastructure to accommodate a growing population, enhanced transportation and industry. In such a scenario, it may happen that water bodies, natural or manmade, may be sacrificed to make space for infrastructure. While this could lead to closure of potential water sources, it could also result in infrastructure damage in the long term. It is imperative for us to think about sustainability in these scenarios. We need to find solutions that are created with protection of water bodies at the core of the development strategy.
Apart from serving as potential sources of water in case of scarcity, lakes provide several other benefits. They are habitats for various species of flora and fauna and by conserving lakes, we are also supporting an ecosystem of living organisms which contribute to mitigating climate change by trapping carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Lakes also contribute to regulating local climate patterns and aid in averting natural disasters such as floods and droughts. They serve as a source of income for the local economy if used for recreational purposes while ensuring that the quality of water does not deteriorate.
Educating local communities that live in and around the lakes on the benefits of lake conservation through deep impact programs; enabling them with strategies to use water effectively; equipping them with the tools to carry out conservation and involving them in development plans is essential. Availability of water for potable purposes across the globe is finite. It is our responsibility to use it consciously and protect it with all we have.