WATER
SECURITY – OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Lakshmi Narayana
N
Mentor
Geo
Rehabilitation Centre, Hyderabad.
Email ID: grcnln@gmail.com
“Save
Water to Save Ourselves - the best Gift you can give to coming Generation is Water”
ABSTRACT
Water is the most
precious natural resource which controls every activity on this globe. It
supports for the development of the people and Nation with better sustainability
and quality. The mission of poverty alleviation has concentrated on food
(roti), clothing (kapada) and shelter (makhan). In the processes of business
oriented development and consequences of the processes of liberalization,
privatization and globalization, development took place for the selected groups
and region and result has been dominated by the negative impact in the form of
marginalization, vulnerabilities, unhealthy environment, and widening the gap
between the rich and poor. The mission of food security, needs availability,
accessibility and affordability of water at all the stage of agriculture and
product making. Water security is very well linked up with the development and
security of individuals, society, and environment. The analysis of water
security does face several challenges and at the same time opens gates with
opportunities. Jal Shakti Abhiyan is one such recent initiative. The community
initiatives with ownership will minimize undesired impact and supports for
better outputs with positive impact. The set of geotools with need based
technologies supports for the identification, mapping, assessment, development,
utilization, monitoring, evaluation and management of water resources. The
initiatives taken up in the study are need based and resulted for significant
impact in the chosen domain. The initiatives are simple, replicable, scalable,
and sustainable matching to the dynamics of the given environment.
Key Words: Harvesting,
Mapping, Watershed, Environment, Pollution, Geotools, Water Security,
Sustainable Development, Quality of Life.
Statement of the Problem
Water is the most
precious natural resource and its poor availability in terms of quantity, quality
and access will affect the development of the people, environment and Nation.
Conclusions
The study made on water
security is the issue for every individual, Nation and other Countries where
everyone has to work & contribute for making water better available,
accessible and affordable (3As). The conclusions emerged out of this study
include:
Ø Water is the life saving and most precious
natural commodity and it is the right to access water by all.
Ø Without water, there is no development and
life itself as it is well linked with every aspect of environment.
Ø Water and Development are the cause and
consequence of each other and moves parallel with better harmony.
Ø It is the fact that, water crises are
there all over the globe with variation from region to another.
Ø In view of the race towards sustainable
development by all the Nations over the Globe, top priority goes to the water
and its resources in terms of quantity and quality.
Ø The need of the hour is to work for the
water security as it is well linked with all the sectors of development in
general and particularly peoples’ security, social security, economical
security and environmental security.
Ø While understanding the aspects to work for
water security, there exist several challenges and opportunities.
Ø Challenges with water security are many
and poor availability, accessibility and affordability to safer and drinking
water gains priority as it is directly connected with the health and development
of the people and Nation.
Ø Challenges of water are alarming and on
long term basis ends up with hazards, disaster, making lands unproductive, and
puts the survival of the people with uncertainties.
Ø The opportunities are need based with
innovation and creativity and works as solutions for better water security.
Ø Jal Shakti Abhiyan is the recent
initiative of Government to speedup the process of moving towards water
security.
Ø Community initiatives with better
participation and ownership are more effective with better preparedness on
project life cycle basis.
Ø The impact of opportunities results for
better water security, healthy living, harmony, and peace.
Ø The initiatives made in the study are need
based with innovation and creativity with the better use of technologies.
Ø The geotools with modern technologies are
effective to protect the water resources at all the stages covering:
identification, mapping, assessment, conservation, utilization, management,
monitoring and evaluation from time to time.
Ø NGOs works with the Government and Private
on partnership by the community, with the community and for the community.
Ø The impact of initiative is significant
and emerged with healthy water security, food security, availability, accessibility
& affordability, sustainable development and improved quality of life.
Ø The strategies and initiatives used are simple,
flexible, scalable, replicable, and sustainable matching to the dynamics of the
given environment.
Recommendations
The sturdy is the priority
area and needs continuation and the recommendations emerged includes:
ü To support and encourage students to make
the real change in the community with innovation and creativity.
ü Empower the local communities with better
participation and ownership for bringing the change with better visibility and sustainability.
ü Support NGOs to work with Government and
Private on partnership basis with the dynamic linkages with the groups on the
mode of design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
ü Jal Shakti Abhiyan should be a continuous process
with the empowerment of communities and Civil Society Organizations.
ü Support for need based research works with
the use of technologies and its effective transformation from lab to land.
ü Support for conducting trainings,
workshops, seminars and dissemination to the targeted groups by way of
publications and e-forums.
