For the last few years, more than half of Karnataka is reeling under drought during the summer months. But shockingly, most of it is man-made. The water scarcity is now hitting even rural parts of Karnataka forcing peope to migrate to metros.
The increased migration of rural folk to urban areas shows the severity of drought in Karnataka. We can term this condition as a ‘Red Alert’ for the state and its government, which needs to manage its water resources wisely in the future.
If the state government is serious about making Karnataka a drought-free state, they can implement some quick fix measures. On an urgent basis, the government must ensure the rain pattern and crop patterns of the state match. The crops are selected on the availability of water resources. The government must also plan ahead to ensure its tanks and underwater table in all parts of the state are recharged when the monsoon sets in.
Currently, Karnataka is facing three kinds of problems when it comes to its water security. Encroachments of water bodies is a major issue as most of the lakes and rivers are having problems. The government must immediately map out such encroachments take action wherever possible.
Secondly, the government is unable to ensure that the river water is not used for urbanisation and industry bodies. Water intensive crops needs to be cut down which is not being done by successive governments. It’s important that the environment of rivers are protected and harming of river catchment area is minimised.
Mixing of sewerage with river water must be curtailed at any cost. Similarly mixing of industrial waste into the rivers will harm the ecology and water quality of the river. The government must ensure that only treated sewage and industrial waste is released into the rivers.
By including all this the Karnataka government can develop skills inefficient use of its water resources. Water literacy is need of the hour in rural and urban areas. There is a system of water auditing, an important exercise that needs to be brought in to know how water can be managed.
Today Western Ghats are completely threatened. There is threat by industry, by corporates, new habitations. So far Karnataka Government has not shown interest in implementing two major reports on Western Ghats drafted by Professor Madhav Gadgil and K Kasturirangan. It’s high time that one of these reports are implemented in Karnataka in the right spirit.
Western Ghats receive an annual rainfall up to 3,000 mm, but in the last few months many villages in the Ghats themselves are reeling under drought. It’s a man-made one, due to mismanagement and lack of skills.
(Rajendra Singh - The author is a water conservationist and Magsaysay awardee. He is popularly known as the 'Water Man' of India)