Link our rivers: India is heading for a grave floods and water crisis

India is a nation of rivers. All the ancient cities and ancient Indian civilization plus rich cultural heritage are linked with the rivers. All the great ancient Indian scriptures were also connected with rivers. Soor Das produced his immortal verses at the bank of river Yamuna at Mathura.  Goswami Tulsi Das created ageless "Ramcharitmanas" at the bank of river Sarayu at Ayodhya. Bhakti poet Kabir Das was born at the bank of holy Ganga. Maharshi Ved Vyas wrote the Vedas and the Gita at the bank of Saraswati River.

 

Similarly, all the ancient cities with the richest civilization of the world like Varanasi, Prayag Raj, Mathura, Haridwar, Ayodhya, Ujjain, Nasik, Patna etc are situated at the river banks. 

 

It is on the creative and mysterious banks of its holy rivers that India's civilization, creative geniuses and its and progressive cities surfaced and fostered. But now rivers are only known for the floods, disputes between states, encroachments and so many other negative issues. This year too Entire Assam, Bihar, Eastern UP and Maharashtra are also in the grip of devastating floods resulting in heavy loss of lives and property.

 

Aimless migration, huge population pressures and encroachments have led to over-exploitation of rivers and other water bodies have almost spoiled the rich legacy of our rivers. All the rivers, river beds, wetlands, natural water bodies and river catchment areas have been viciously invaded by the people. So, every year the nation faces devastating floods as there is no place left in the rivers to keep the rainwater.

 

In this field hardly any work is being done to control the recurring floods and droughts. No attention is given to the interlinking of rivers, construction of dams and check dams and rainwater harvesting system. There is no planning for these projects. They are willfully neglected. As a result of this most of the rivers are almost dead or flows only during rainy seasons. Dams and check dams hardly constructed or scene anywhere. Groundwater is almost finished or depleting very fast because there is no way to recharge the groundwater.

 

This is now unacceptable. India is heading towards serious water crises on the one hand and the second hand recurring of devastating floods every year. Now, the nation has to start working on remedial measures. There is a tremendous shortage of water for irrigation, drinking, industry and energy sector. Big cities, like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad etc have been facing a severe shortage of water. The same problem is there for agriculture. There is no water for Hydro Power projects in dams and check dams. 

 

Now, we must step up working of interlinking of all the rivers, construction of dams and check dams and installing the rainwater harvesting system. The governments should take the services of NHPC which has expertise in constructing dams, check dams and making canals and tunnels.  Encroachments from the river banks, river catchment areas, river beds, water bodies and wetlands should be made a non-bailable offence and such encroachments must be removed immediately.

 

This strain is very clearly visible of annual per-person water availability.  In 1951, this was 5177 cubic meters that declined in 2011 to 1545 cubic meters. This is much less than the international level for water stress level at 1700 cubic meters. However, according to the report by National Institute of Hydrology survey, per capita availability of water in India in 2010 is at just 938 cubic meters, and if positive steps are not taken, by 2025, this may drop to 814 cubic meters.  

 

Among the aptest solution to rejuvenate and protect the rivers is to interlink them so that the surplus water in one river can be transferred to another other. The work is very easy and effective. The governments should act fast so that it can save lives and properties. Already work is going on Ken-Betwa interlinking project. This will also recharge the groundwater and increase the green and the forest cover. Every state should start working on interlinking at-least two rivers. Every state should also construct at least one big dam each year.

 

Five kilometres wide belt along all the river banks should be reserved for planting fruits and native trees. There is a fund 'Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act may provide 6000 crores annually to state governments. A fund of Rs.42000 crores is lying unspent for many years. These funds can be used for the interlinking of rivers, construction of dams, check dams and forestation. These projects will protect the environment; provide employments to villagers and tribals. These methods will also control the pollution of rivers through the discharge of industrial effluents and city waste. The Centre's Namami Gange project is a very good programme.

Much onus is on state governments as water is a state subject. Act now or ready to face disaster. 

 

All these problems related to rivers and water is also directly related to the rising population. So governments should also start population control programmes urgently. A huge population is the biggest villain in the country and it is the mother of all the problems. So, populations control methods are also required urgently to light the dark tunnel ahead.