WATER SECURITY – OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

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.