Water security and conservation of water resources will prove to be a very important and fundamental initiative towards Viksit Bharat nbsp DR RAJBHUSHAN CHAUDHARY Today Earth's environment stands at a crossroads where the signs of nature are becoming increasingly pronounced and the traditional cycle of seasons appears to be profoundly affected Hon rsquo ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi with his foresight had clearly indicated as early as the end of May that the heat would be intense this time He had made an impassioned appeal to all the countrymen to drink sufficient water and remain vigilant about the conservation of water sources This call by the Prime Minister is proving to be a guiding light showing the country a safe path amidst today's unprecedented environmental crisis The Earth's steadily rising temperatures and the drastic fluctuations in seasonal cycles are clear evidence that climate change is no longer merely a distant future prospect Instead it has become the greatest administrative and social challenge of our time Untimely heavy rainfall prolonged droughts and the fierce nature of the summer season are matters of deep concern for the entire global community today At the very heart of this global atmospheric upheaval lies an extremely complex hydro meteorological phenomenon originating in the Pacific Ocean known in the language of modern science as lsquo El Nino rsquo For a country like India vast densely populated and fundamentally dependent on agriculture this El Nino cycle cannot simply be a subject of laboratory research This is an extremely serious and practical issue directly linked to the lives and livelihoods of millions of farming families across the country the rural economy and our national food security According to established principles of oceanography under normal conditions strong trade winds blowing from east to west across the equatorial region of the Pacific Ocean push warm surface water towards Asia and Australia Its influence causes cold nutrient rich water to rise from the ocean depths off the coast of Peru in South America This process helps maintain the balance of global atmospheric circulation and provides a positive boost to the Indian monsoon However during the El Nino effect these trade winds suddenly weaken and at times their direction even reverses completely nbsp As a result the warm surface water of the ocean begins to flow back towards the coastal regions of South America instead of moving westward This unusual warming of the ocean surface disrupts entire atmospheric pressure zones thereby altering the global geography of cloud formation and precipitation nbsp While this phenomenon causes excessive rainfall and flooding in parts of Peru it leads to increased air pressure over India and Southeast Asia thereby weakening the speed of the monsoon winds Its direct impact on India's landmass is reflected in the severe rainfall deficit fragmented monsoons and record breaking heat in summers This is a scientific catastrophe that has the full potential to destabilize the country's entire hydrological cycle and water circulation Coupled with this the changing patterns of Western Disturbances and the impact of El Nino have combined to create a situation of imminent water crisis and weather instability for the country The Prime Minister has always accorded the highest priority to water security placing it on par with national sovereignty and defense security He has a clear view that water conservation must become an innate part of every citizen's daily life and a massive mass movement Based on this very idea he launched the 'Catch the Rain' campaigns the basic mantra of which is that using modern techniques we must conserve every drop of rainwater right where it falls on the earth For the first time in the nation rsquo s history the present government created an integrated and powerful administrative structure in the form of the lsquo Ministry of Jal Shakti rsquo which has proven to be a truly transformative initiative in giving a new scientific and coherent direction to the nation's water planning To curb the continuous decline in the Earth's water tables caused by increasing concretization and unplanned exploitation and ensure the long term protection of water sources the government has formulated a highly comprehensive and interconnected framework of policies and programs The 'Jal Jeevan
...
being given to the local water sources by constructing and renovating at least 75 historical and new ponds in every district of the country Along with all these national initiatives the government is also working at full speed on the bold projects of 'River Interlinking' and modern 'Desalination' techniques to purify the saline water of the sea so that no part of the country remains affected by the water crisis Extremely high temperatures and intense heat waves also severely affect the internal biological balance of the human body Our body basically operates on a fixed and mandatory proportion of water When the external temperature starts to exceed the body rsquo s internal normal temperature the body tries to keep itself cool through sweating This continuous sweating process leads to a severe depletion of water and essential electrolytes in the body a condition medically known as dehydration When this condition becomes severe the body's central nervous system begins to be affected eventually leading to heat stroke The most vulnerable sections of our society such as the elderly young children pregnant women and especially the hardworking farmer labourer brethren who toil under the scorching sun to rebuild the country bear the brunt
...
self reliance of our agricultural system the dynamism of our industries and the secure future of our coming generations nbsp Water security and conservation of water resources will prove to be a very important and fundamental initiative towards Viksit Bharat This timeless slogan of Jal hai toh kal hai is the biggest and unwavering truth of the existence of human civilization rather than being just an ordinary slogan Today it is the need of the hour that all of us together take this unwavering resolve that we will fully respect every drop of water completely stop its unnecessary wastage and revive the traditional water sources around us by keeping them pollution free nbsp Putting into practice our compassion for voiceless creatures establishing a balanced limited and intimate relationship with nature is the greatest call of today's time This small resolve taken collectively today will prove to be entirely successful in laying the strongest foundation for a 'Viksit Bharat' an India that is immensely strong prosperous self reliant secure and water secure in coming years nbsp The author is Union Minister of State Ministry of Jal Shakti Government of India Courtesy PIB nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp