WATER SECURITY: A NON-CONVENTIONAL THREAT
Water security for India implies effective responses to changing water
conditions in terms of quality, quantity & uneven distribution. Unheeded it can effect
relationships at the interstate level & equally contribute to tensions at the intraprovincial level. Water security is not only limited to drinking pure water and having
sufficient water for irrigation,industries and other household purposes but it is a multi-
dimensional subject connected with Human Health & Security, Biodiversity, Economic
and Policy issues,Climate Change, Disaster, Food etc. An endeavor is done here to
understand such an important issue which is necessary for a prosperous World and
India KEYWORDS
Security, Non-conventional, Distribution, Water..
INTRODUCTION
Water is a precious &life giving gift which is given by the supreme creator to not only human
beings, but for the survival of plants and animals also. Our ancestors were fully aware of the grandness of
the water as it is written in the RIG VEDAthat €Agni and Water are givers & sustainers of life, they are
affectionate mothers, givers of all, givers of life, they are have healing powers.€ River waters are treated
holy in India, sacred water is used in various Hindu festivals & ceremonies. Acountry is said to be facing a
serious water crisis when available water is lower than 1000cubic meters per person per year. Below this
point, the health & economic development of a nation are considerably hampered.When the annual water
availability per person drops below 5oo cubic meters, people's survival is grievously compromised. In
1951, the average water availability in India was 3450 cubic meters per person per year. By the late 1990's,
it had fallen to 1250 cubic meters. By 2050, it is estimated to fall to 760cubic meters. Since 1970, the global
per capita water supply declined by 33%.The decline does not result from population growth alone; it is
exacerbated by excessive water use as well. During the last century the rate of water with-drawl had
exceeded that of population growth by a factor of two & a half.
GLOBALSCENARIO
€The wars of the next century will be on water.€-Ismail Serageldin (Vice-President World Bank)
Water is a plentiful natural resource as three fourth of the surface of earth is covered by it. Total water
resource on earth is expected to be about 1360 million cubic kilometers which is 0.25% of the planets mass
& if spread evenly over its surface, it would cover the planet to a height of 2.7 kilometers. But more than
97% is in form of oceans and seas, 2% is locked in ice-caps & glaciers and a large part of remaining 1% lies far too deep in the ground to exploit. Then only 0.2 million cubic km is fresh water of rivers, lakes, swamps
& reservoirs; and 23.4 million cubic km is ground water which is mostly saline. It is only this limited
quantity which is available to meet the demands of human & livestock world over.
Over half the world's people rely on water originating in mountains for drinking, agriculture,
producing electricity & sustaining industries. 11% of total fresh water on earth is ground water available
upto a depth of 800m which can be extracted for use. Mindless extraction and over exploitation of very
small quantity of this precious natural resource has caused a rapid depletion & deterioration in the quality
and quantity. Water goes a permanent cycle. Every year about 566000km3 evaporates from the earth's
surface, 80% of it over the sea. The same amount falls back into the earth as precipitation, but only
110000km3 over the land masses,of which 71000 km3 evaporates directly again. Thus the average amount
of water running off the land masses each year as a renewable resource is about 39000 km3, of this
renewable resource, 64% or 25000 km3 flows off very quickly.This part is known as unstable runoff. The
remaining third, in other word's about 14000 km3 seeps into the ground and becomes groundwater, which
later forms the 'stable' runoff. The latter is also known as fair weather or groundwater runoff. The world's
more than 260 international river basins cover 45.3% of the earth's land surface, host about 40% of the
world's population and account for approximately 60% of global river flows. Territory of 145 nations fall
within international basins, and 33 countries are located almost entirely within the basins. The high level of
interdependence is illustrated by the number of countries sharing international basins: The dilemmas posed
by basins like the Danube (shared by 19 countries) or the Nile (10 countries) can be easily imagined.
Cooperation in water resources is necessary for the peaceful and prosperous existence of the people of the
world. In 2001, then UN Secretary General Kofi Annan warned of water wars, but only a year later he
insisted on an alternative view: The water problem of our world need not be only a cause of tension, they can
also be a catalyst for cooperation.The water crisis is the most pervasive, most severe, and most invisible
dimension of the ecological devastation of the earth. In 1998, 28 countries experienced water stress or
scarcity. This number is expected to rise to 56 by 2025.Between 1990 & 2025 the number of people living in
countries without adequate water is projected to rise from 131 million to 817 million. India is supposed to
fall into the water stress category long before 2025.
India's water resources India which has 17.2% of world's population, 2.4% of the world's land area
and 4% of the world's water resources is already heading towards a state of water crisis, even then India is
ranked among top ten water rich countries in the world. India receives average rainfall of 1000-
1100mm.The rainfall in the country is mostly confined to four monsoon months from June to September
during which almost 80% of the total rainfall takes place. Overall precipitation in the form of rain&
snowfall provides over 4000cu km of fresh water to India, most of which returns to the oceans via large
rivers. A portion of the water is absorbed by the soil & is stored in underground aquifer. A much smaller
percentage is stored in inland water bodies. Blessed with one of the world's largest basins India have 12
major river basins (catchment area > 20,000 sq. km) & 46 medium river basins (catchment area < 20,000 sq.
km.) having catchment area of 2528084sq.km&248505sq.km respectively.
WATER RESOURCES:
Average annual Precipitation - 4000 BCM
Avg. precipitation during Monsoon (Jun-Sept) - 3000BCM
Natural Runoff -1986.5BCM
Estimated utilizable surface water resources- 690BCM
Total utilizable ground water resources- 433 BCM
Total annual utilizable water resources -1123 BCM
Per capita water availability -1720.29 cum
WATER AND HUMAN SECURITY
Based on the UN Development Programme's (UNDP) Human Security concept referring to the
'security of the peoples' (UNDP1994), water security is defined as freedom from direct or indirect impacts
of lacking provision of sufficient and clean water. At the international level, it is determined by the
dependency on trans-boundary water flows, the relationship to riparian countries, and the ratio of food
security based on secure supply or own production.
Water and agriculture:-The agriculture is of fundamental importance in India's economy
contributing about 20 - 21% of gross domestic product (GDP) and generates two third of the employment.
The assured irrigation water supply is of utmost importance for food security. The total ultimate irrigation
potential of the country is estimated at 140.0M.Ha (Major& Medium Irrigation projects-58.5M.Ha and Minor Irrigation projects-81.5M.Ha) with UP, Bihar, MP and AP accounting for 52%. The per capita
availability of total ultimate irrigation potential works out to 136 Ha/thou
conditions in terms of quality, quantity & uneven distribution. Unheeded it can effect
relationships at the interstate level & equally contribute to tensions at the intraprovincial level. Water security is not only limited to drinking pure water and having
sufficient water for irrigation,industries and other household purposes but it is a multi-
dimensional subject connected with Human Health & Security, Biodiversity, Economic
and Policy issues,Climate Change, Disaster, Food etc. An endeavor is done here to
understand such an important issue which is necessary for a prosperous World and
India KEYWORDS
Security, Non-conventional, Distribution, Water..
INTRODUCTION
Water is a precious &life giving gift which is given by the supreme creator to not only human
beings, but for the survival of plants and animals also. Our ancestors were fully aware of the grandness of
the water as it is written in the RIG VEDAthat €Agni and Water are givers & sustainers of life, they are
affectionate mothers, givers of all, givers of life, they are have healing powers.€ River waters are treated
holy in India, sacred water is used in various Hindu festivals & ceremonies. Acountry is said to be facing a
serious water crisis when available water is lower than 1000cubic meters per person per year. Below this
point, the health & economic development of a nation are considerably hampered.When the annual water
availability per person drops below 5oo cubic meters, people's survival is grievously compromised. In
1951, the average water availability in India was 3450 cubic meters per person per year. By the late 1990's,
it had fallen to 1250 cubic meters. By 2050, it is estimated to fall to 760cubic meters. Since 1970, the global
per capita water supply declined by 33%.The decline does not result from population growth alone; it is
exacerbated by excessive water use as well. During the last century the rate of water with-drawl had
exceeded that of population growth by a factor of two & a half.
GLOBALSCENARIO
€The wars of the next century will be on water.€-Ismail Serageldin (Vice-President World Bank)
Water is a plentiful natural resource as three fourth of the surface of earth is covered by it. Total water
resource on earth is expected to be about 1360 million cubic kilometers which is 0.25% of the planets mass
& if spread evenly over its surface, it would cover the planet to a height of 2.7 kilometers. But more than
97% is in form of oceans and seas, 2% is locked in ice-caps & glaciers and a large part of remaining 1% lies far too deep in the ground to exploit. Then only 0.2 million cubic km is fresh water of rivers, lakes, swamps
& reservoirs; and 23.4 million cubic km is ground water which is mostly saline. It is only this limited
quantity which is available to meet the demands of human & livestock world over.
Over half the world's people rely on water originating in mountains for drinking, agriculture,
producing electricity & sustaining industries. 11% of total fresh water on earth is ground water available
upto a depth of 800m which can be extracted for use. Mindless extraction and over exploitation of very
small quantity of this precious natural resource has caused a rapid depletion & deterioration in the quality
and quantity. Water goes a permanent cycle. Every year about 566000km3 evaporates from the earth's
surface, 80% of it over the sea. The same amount falls back into the earth as precipitation, but only
110000km3 over the land masses,of which 71000 km3 evaporates directly again. Thus the average amount
of water running off the land masses each year as a renewable resource is about 39000 km3, of this
renewable resource, 64% or 25000 km3 flows off very quickly.This part is known as unstable runoff. The
remaining third, in other word's about 14000 km3 seeps into the ground and becomes groundwater, which
later forms the 'stable' runoff. The latter is also known as fair weather or groundwater runoff. The world's
more than 260 international river basins cover 45.3% of the earth's land surface, host about 40% of the
world's population and account for approximately 60% of global river flows. Territory of 145 nations fall
within international basins, and 33 countries are located almost entirely within the basins. The high level of
interdependence is illustrated by the number of countries sharing international basins: The dilemmas posed
by basins like the Danube (shared by 19 countries) or the Nile (10 countries) can be easily imagined.
Cooperation in water resources is necessary for the peaceful and prosperous existence of the people of the
world. In 2001, then UN Secretary General Kofi Annan warned of water wars, but only a year later he
insisted on an alternative view: The water problem of our world need not be only a cause of tension, they can
also be a catalyst for cooperation.The water crisis is the most pervasive, most severe, and most invisible
dimension of the ecological devastation of the earth. In 1998, 28 countries experienced water stress or
scarcity. This number is expected to rise to 56 by 2025.Between 1990 & 2025 the number of people living in
countries without adequate water is projected to rise from 131 million to 817 million. India is supposed to
fall into the water stress category long before 2025.
India's water resources India which has 17.2% of world's population, 2.4% of the world's land area
and 4% of the world's water resources is already heading towards a state of water crisis, even then India is
ranked among top ten water rich countries in the world. India receives average rainfall of 1000-
1100mm.The rainfall in the country is mostly confined to four monsoon months from June to September
during which almost 80% of the total rainfall takes place. Overall precipitation in the form of rain&
snowfall provides over 4000cu km of fresh water to India, most of which returns to the oceans via large
rivers. A portion of the water is absorbed by the soil & is stored in underground aquifer. A much smaller
percentage is stored in inland water bodies. Blessed with one of the world's largest basins India have 12
major river basins (catchment area > 20,000 sq. km) & 46 medium river basins (catchment area < 20,000 sq.
km.) having catchment area of 2528084sq.km&248505sq.km respectively.
WATER RESOURCES:
Average annual Precipitation - 4000 BCM
Avg. precipitation during Monsoon (Jun-Sept) - 3000BCM
Natural Runoff -1986.5BCM
Estimated utilizable surface water resources- 690BCM
Total utilizable ground water resources- 433 BCM
Total annual utilizable water resources -1123 BCM
Per capita water availability -1720.29 cum
WATER AND HUMAN SECURITY
Based on the UN Development Programme's (UNDP) Human Security concept referring to the
'security of the peoples' (UNDP1994), water security is defined as freedom from direct or indirect impacts
of lacking provision of sufficient and clean water. At the international level, it is determined by the
dependency on trans-boundary water flows, the relationship to riparian countries, and the ratio of food
security based on secure supply or own production.
Water and agriculture:-The agriculture is of fundamental importance in India's economy
contributing about 20 - 21% of gross domestic product (GDP) and generates two third of the employment.
The assured irrigation water supply is of utmost importance for food security. The total ultimate irrigation
potential of the country is estimated at 140.0M.Ha (Major& Medium Irrigation projects-58.5M.Ha and Minor Irrigation projects-81.5M.Ha) with UP, Bihar, MP and AP accounting for 52%. The per capita
availability of total ultimate irrigation potential works out to 136 Ha/thou