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250 Words15 Marks
Q.The ideal solution to depleting ground water resources in India is a water harvesting system. “How can it be made effective in urban areas? (250 Words, 15 Marks)
UPSC Mains 2018•Geography
Model Answer
View this Question In PYQ RealmSyllabus Point
- Distribution of Key Natural Resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian sub-continent); factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world (including India).
Approach
- Introduction (30-40 words): Highlight India's groundwater crisis and the role of water harvesting.
- Body (170-180 words):
- Suggest practical measures to make rainwater harvesting effective in urban areas.
- Provide successful examples.
- Conclusion (30-40 words): Emphasize integrated urban planning and community participation.
Introduction
India is facing an unprecedented groundwater crisis, with nearly 70% of its water sources contaminated or over-extracted (NITI Aayog, 2021). In urban centers, rapid concreting prevents natural recharge, making rainwater harvesting (RWH) an indispensable tool for water security.
Body
Measures to Make Water Harvesting Systems Effective in Urban Areas
- Mandatory Rainwater Harvesting Laws: Municipalities must strictly enforce RWH mandates for all new residential and commercial buildings.
- Example: Tamil Nadu's pioneering 2001 mandate led to a significant 50% recovery in Chennai's groundwater levels.
- Rooftop Harvesting Systems: Urban rooftops can be utilized to capture rainwater, directing it to storage tanks or recharge wells.
- Effectiveness: This reduces urban dependence on municipal water tankers and piped supplies.
- Retrofitting Older Structures: Existing buildings should be incentivized to install cost-effective retrofitted RWH systems.
- Promoting Permeable Infrastructure: Replacing concrete pavements with permeable materials, bioswales, and urban green spaces facilitates natural infiltration.
- Example: Cities like Bengaluru have adopted green infrastructure to recharge local aquifers.
- Community-Level Reservoirs: Constructing neighborhood-level storage tanks helps capture monsoon runoff, mitigating urban flooding while recharging aquifers.
- Public Awareness and Incentives: Conducting community workshops and offering property tax rebates can drive voluntary adoption of RWH.
- Decentralized Water Management: Encouraging housing societies to manage their own water harvesting systems reduces load on central infrastructure.
- Restoring Urban Wetlands: Rejuvenating lakes and wetlands acts as natural sponge zones for groundwater recharge.
- Example: Efforts to rejuvenate the Jakkur Lake in Bengaluru improved groundwater levels in surrounding areas.
- Smart Technology Integration: Deploying IoT sensors and GIS mapping helps identify optimal recharge zones and monitor system efficiency.
Conclusion
An integrated approach combining strict policy enforcement, technological innovation, and public participation is vital to scale urban water harvesting, securing India's urban water future.