Editorial: Damned and parched summer

CHENNAI: Reports from last month revealed some alarming statistics pertaining to the water levels of the major reservoirs in the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. Most reservoirs have filled to only 25% of their capacity, and in some cases, even less. The situation is dire for large reservoirs such as the Tungabhadra dam in Vijayanagara district of Karnataka (with a total capacity of 3.2 lakh crore litres), which is filled to a measly 5% of its full capacity. Similarly, the Nagarjuna Sagar dam on the Andhra Pradesh-Telangana border with a capacity of 5.1 lakh crore litres is filled to just 4%. The Srisailam reservoir, also on the AP-Telangana border, has a capacity of 6 lakh crore litres, but it is filled only to 15%.

The situation in TN’s Mettur dam in Salem is also a matter of concern. With a full capacity of 2.65 lakh crore litres, the dam was filled to 28% last month. Similarly, the Lower Bhavani with a net capacity of 0.8 lakh crore litres has been filled to 24%. According to a bulletin released by the Central Water Commission, across India, the current water level in 150 primary reservoirs collated as a share of their total capacity stood at 38%. The implication is not lost on the people in the South, which happens to be the most impacted region. All reservoirs collectively filled to just 23% of their capacity in this zone, which is essentially 17% points lower than the levels recorded last year, and 9% points under the 10-year average.

Data from the World Resources Institute tells us that in India, water availability has plummeted to a level that puts the nation into the category of water-stressed. The availability is expected to reduce further to 1,341m3 by 2025, and 1,140m3 by 2050. In almost every state and major cities, episodes of groundwater table depletion are being reported. Although the ratio of groundwater consumption to availability is 77% in Tamil Nadu, most perennial rivers/streams only have intermittent flows or have run dry. The quantum of water available for drinking and other uses is set to drop sharply in most areas during the April-May season.

To top it off, this week, a heat wave swept large swathes of east India and continued unabated, to the southern parts. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said maximum temperatures settled two to seven degrees Celsius above normal in parts of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Gangetic West Bengal. The heat could strain power grids and result in water shortages in many parts of the country, which is reeling from the phenomenon of erratic monsoon over the years. This in turn entails major uncertainties for agriculture.

Experts have suggested the roll-out of a few measures on war-footing to mitigate the water security concerns of the region. The interventions include the monitoring of the groundwater table; reclamation of water quality of groundwater rivers and waterbodies; pricing of water use; shifting to a circular water economy; making way for efficient irrigation techniques; the installation of water meters for domestic usage; ensuring safe wastewater reuse; desalination and appropriate water allocation. Removal of electricity subsidies, as well as reducing losses from water distribution systems, and convergences and linkages of power grids/line departments could also go a long way in tackling water shortage.