Not just pipes and tankers | The Indian Express

Not just pipes and tankers | The Indian Express

Written by Isher Judge Ahluwalia |Updated: June 27, 2019 1:00:53 am

The writer is chairperson of Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) and former chairperson of the high-powered expert committee on urban infrastructure and services.

Not just pipes and tankers

A compact between the Centre and states is necessary to address India’s water-related challenges. This should involve local governments and communities of water users

The 2030 Water Resources Group on “Charting Our Water Futures” set up by the erstwhile Planning Commission in 2009 had projected that if the current demand pattern for water continues, by 2030, the available water will meet only about half of India’s demand for water. (Illustration: Suvajit Dey)

Chennai has been in the news recently for its water crisis. Scuffles and suffering have been reported from different parts of the city. Water crimes in Ranchi have also hit the headlines. Cities in Madhya Pradesh have seen stabbings and killings over water, and the police has been called upon to guard water tankers and water sources. Cape Town in South Africa was the first major city in the modern era to face the threat of running out of drinking water, as reported by the BBC in February 2018. The BBC listed another 11 cities most likely to run out of water. This list included Bengaluru.