According to an assessment commissioned by the World Bank and submitted to the Central Water Commission, Ganga basin States stare at three-fold rise in crop failures by 2040.
Key Findings:
The Ganga river basin could see crop failures rise three-fold and drinking water shortage go up by as much as 39% in some States between now and 2040.
If there is no intervention, Madhya Pradesh would see a 39%, Delhi 22% and Uttar Pradesh a 25% deficit in drinking water in 2040 as compared to the current levels.
The volume of extracted groundwater is expected to more than double, leading to an increase in the critical blocks.
Low flow values in the rivers are predicted to decline compared to present levels. Water quality and environmental flow conditions already critical will deteriorate further.
Solution:
The most beneficial intervention is improvement of municipal waste water treatment.
Reduction in pollution loads provides a positive return on investment both in availability of clean water as well as a drastic reduction in water-related illnesses and deaths.
Other interventions such as increasing water use efficiency and implementing a ‘more job per drop’ rather than striving for wholesale crop production are needed.
The natural ecological flow of the river should not be blocked, as that would reduce its propensity to clean itself. ‘Ecological Flow,’ refers to the minimum amount of water that must be maintained at all times through the year to ensure the river’s health.
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