The Supreme Court on Wednesday (June 12) condemned the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for failing to stop the operation of tanker mafia amid the water crisis in the national capital.

Noting that false statements had been made before it, the apex court asked the Delhi government to file an affidavit listing measures they had taken to prevent wastage of water.

A vacation bench, comprising Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Prasanna B Varale, told the Delhi government if it can't deal with the tanker mafia, the court will direct the Delhi police to take action.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-water-crisis-atishi-blasts-haryana-government-as-blame-game-continues-729981" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-water-crisis-atishi-blasts-haryana-government-as-blame-game-continues-729981&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjPlpm139WGAxWyRmwGHaUTDQAQFnoECAQQAg&amp;usg=AOvVaw1Dp51fxZmHXJqZwEystxR6&amp;arm=e&amp;fexp=72519171,72519168" dir="ltr" href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-water-crisis-atishi-blasts-haryana-government-as-blame-game-continues-729981&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjPlpm139WGAxWyRmwGHaUTDQAQFnoECAQQAg&amp;usg=AOvVaw1Dp51fxZmHXJqZwEystxR6&amp;arm=e&amp;fexp=72519171,72519168" target="_blank">Delhi&nbsp;water crisis: Atishi blasts Haryana government&nbsp;</a>

“Why were forged statements made before this court? Water is coming from Himachal Pradesh then where is the water going in Delhi? There is so much spillage, tanker mafias etc.. What measures have you taken in this regard?” the bench asked the Delhi government.

The court further said the people of the national capital were suffering due to the water crisis.

"People are suffering; we are seeing visuals on every news channel. What measures have you taken to control water wastage if water scarcity is a recurring problem in summers,” the bench added.

Advocate Shadan Farasat, appearing for the Delhi government, said the government had taken action, including disconnection of water supplies.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bengaluru-water-crisis-city-turns-to-ai-to-manage-groundwater-levels-714263" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bengaluru-water-crisis-city-turns-to-ai-to-manage-groundwater-levels-714263&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjPlpm139WGAxWyRmwGHaUTDQAQFnoECAAQAg&amp;usg=AOvVaw2dSZuX2nTfj8JV7SaCsT4P&amp;arm=e&amp;fexp=72519171,72519168" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bengaluru-water-crisis-city-turns-to-ai-to-manage-groundwater-levels-714263" target="_blank">Bengaluru&nbsp;water crisis: City turns to AI for managing groundwater</a>

It may be noted here that&nbsp;Delhi water minister Atishi on Tuesday (June 11) claimed the BJP-led Haryana government had been intentionally and unlawfully halting the national capital's water supply.

Citing an affidavit submitted by the Haryana government in the Supreme Court, the minister said, “The Haryana government has been dishonest that they have released sufficient supply water to Delhi. Their affidavit filed in the Supreme Court presents the data on actual discharge of water which has exposed their lie.”

The minister claimed the Haryana government had reduced water supply to Delhi from May 23.

Atishi alleged that according to the affidavit provided by the Haryana government in the Supreme Court, from May 1 to 22, Haryana was releasing 719 cusecs of water in CLC and 330 cusecs of water in DSB via the Munak canal, totaling 1049 cusecs daily.&nbsp;

"However, starting from May 23, this amount began to decrease. This suggests that during the Delhi elections, Haryana reduced its water supply," claimed Atishi.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-water-crisis-aaps-atishi-accuses-bjp-of-stopping-yamuna-flow-hatching-water-conspiracy-724363" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-water-crisis-aaps-atishi-accuses-bjp-of-stopping-yamuna-flow-hatching-water-conspiracy-724363&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjPlpm139WGAxWyRmwGHaUTDQAQFnoECAEQAg&amp;usg=AOvVaw0iJky9hOviLF6mTBHGIioq&amp;arm=e&amp;fexp=72519171,72519168" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-water-crisis-aaps-atishi-accuses-bjp-of-stopping-yamuna-flow-hatching-water-conspiracy-724363" target="_blank">Delhi&nbsp;water crisis: AAP's Atishi accuses BJP of stopping water supply&nbsp;</a>

Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena said on Tuesday that Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini had told him the state was releasing water per allocated share. The court had also directed the Himachal Pradesh government to release surplus water to help Delhi tide over the crisis.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (June 12) condemned the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for failing to stop the operation of tanker mafia amid the water crisis in the national capital.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (June 12) condemned the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for failing to stop the operation of tanker mafia amid the water crisis in the national capital. Noting that false statements had been made before it, the apex court asked the Delhi government to file an affidavit listing measures they had taken to prevent wastage of water. A vacation bench, comprising Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Prasanna B Varale, told the Delhi government if it can't deal with the tanker mafia, the court will direct the Delhi police to take action. Also read: Delhi water crisis: Atishi blasts Haryana government “Why were forged statements made before this court? Water is coming from Himachal Pradesh then where is the water going in Delhi? There is so much spillage, tanker mafias etc.. What measures have you taken in this regard?” the bench asked the Delhi government. The court further said the people of the national capital were suffering due to the water crisis. "People are suffering; we are seeing visuals on every news channel. What measures have you taken to control water wastage if water scarcity is a recurring problem in summers,” the bench added. Advocate Shadan Farasat, appearing for the Delhi government, said the government had taken action, including disconnection of water supplies. Also read: Bengaluru water crisis: City turns to AI for managing groundwater It may be noted here that Delhi water minister Atishi on Tuesday (June 11) claimed the BJP-led Haryana government had been intentionally and unlawfully halting the national capital's water supply. Citing an affidavit submitted by the Haryana government in the Supreme Court, the minister said, “The Haryana government has been dishonest that they have released sufficient supply water to Delhi. Their affidavit filed in the Supreme Court presents the data on actual discharge of water which has exposed their lie.” The minister claimed the Haryana government had reduced water supply to Delhi from May 23. Atishi alleged that according to the affidavit provided by the Haryana government in the Supreme Court, from May 1 to 22, Haryana was releasing 719 cusecs of water in CLC and 330 cusecs of water in DSB via the Munak canal, totaling 1049 cusecs daily. "However, starting from May 23, this amount began to decrease. This suggests that during the Delhi elections, Haryana reduced its water supply," claimed Atishi. Also read: Delhi water crisis: AAP's Atishi accuses BJP of stopping water supply Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena said on Tuesday that Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini had told him the state was releasing water per allocated share. The court had also directed the Himachal Pradesh government to release surplus water to help Delhi tide over the crisis. (With inputs from agencies)

Delhi water crisis: India Supreme Court pulls up AAP govt for inaction on tanker mafia

A country of over a billion people is on its way to becoming dry land. Millions living in Chennai and Bengaluru know this well and Delhi is on its way.

Sadly, what the recent water crisis in India’s mega cities has shown, is just the trailer. It’s time to critically explore what brought us here and what we can do to resolve this deepening disaster.

Since Independence, India has blindly followed the footsteps of the Western world. We have adopted cut-copy-paste models, ignoring how to innovate and implement progress in the Indian context.

In the twentieth century, the western world primarily built its economy on the exploitation of natural resources, a template that India adopted without examining its impact on the country and its burgeoning population.

Now that the West is moving towards more sustainable living and infrastructure development, India is too far behind and has too much to lose by continuing with this short-sighted approach.

Due to our approach to building and planning cities without regard for population growth, natural resources and quality building standards, we have overpopulated crumbling metropolises without a solid foundation.

There are no proper drainage or sewage systems to accommodate the rapid construction that is happening all around the country. Most of the water leaving buildings and houses is drained into rivers not only contaminating them, but also creating a system which is “use and throw”. This unsustainable approach to infrastructure development doesn’t take into account how much water we have, how much we need, and where it’s going to end up.

Bengaluru has already run out of water because of overpopulation and lack of foresight in resource planning. The lakes around the city are contaminated in the absence of proper sewage treatment systems, which is common throughout the country.

If the water was treated, it could be further used in maintaining water levels underground or reintegrated into rivers without contaminating them.

Along with sustainable urban planning, we need to lower our dependence on the monsoons. If India wants to fulfill its dream of becoming a global powerhouse, it must successfully solve its water problems. It is a short-sighted approach to “wait and watch” for monsoons to end the drought.

With changing climate and less rainwater predictability, we need to incorporate an extensive rainwater harvesting system where all buildings and households are equipped to gather and store rain.

How many seasons do we have to watch as Mumbai is flooded during monsoon and is unable to successfully harness the excess water, before we decide to take action? Collection and storage also needs to apply to flooding rivers so that we maximise water availability throughout the whole year.

However, even these two measures are not enough for us to foster the growing demands and ambitions of India. We are on our way to becoming the fourth-largest economy in the world, where a huge percentage of our economy is still dependent on agriculture, which in turn is heavily dependent on water.

The industries that India is focused on to achieve its growth targets, such as tourism and textiles, are heavily water- dependent.

Failure to educate the country’s population on water conservation is an opportunity we can’t afford to miss. Ground-level education and awareness building among farmers and the rural population is crucial.

We should focus more on crops that require less water for crop yield and incorporate the use of technologies that minimise the use of water. In this way, the government should be investing in grass-roots community education and incentivising the use of new technologies among our farming population.

Most leaders of India are now realising the grave crisis we are in. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has declared a special ministry, Jal Shakti, and chose to address this issue in his first speech after his re-election on Mann ki Baat.

Water is fast becoming a commodity in India, and our leaders are facing the reality of millions of desperate people lining the streets with empty water containers each day, waiting for trucks to deliver the most basic of human needs.

These desperate times are igniting anger within communities and discontent with our leaders. Our politicians at all levels have failed to deliver a proper, systematic and long-term solution to this worsening emergency. For starters, water and policies on climate change should become two election issues.

But the government is not the only one to be held accountable. We, as people, have ignored and moved away from taking individual responsibility. People’s behaviour and an ignorant mindset is one of the reasons why we have arrived at this point.

We are so blindly focused on making money and satisfying our superficial needs that we haven’t considered the impact of our actions on our natural environment. As long as there’s water running from the tap, we don’t care where it’s coming from or where it’s going to.

Among the solutions for providing water security, we need to invest heavily in desalination plants and adopt the technologies of the future as Singapore, Israel and Spain have done.

India has a huge coastline and massive investment in desalination plants would provide the water we could store. Why should we be lining the streets with empty buckets in hand when the technology lies at our fingertips?

Democracy promises that when people elect a government, it will provide the population with life’s essential basics, but unfortunately, in India, people think their responsibility as a citizen stops as soon as they cast their vote. 
&nbsp;

(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-india-the-land-of-water-wars-2777094">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

A country of over a billion people is on its way to becoming dry land. Millions living in Chennai and Bengaluru know this well and Delhi is on its way. Sadly, what the recent water crisis in India’s mega cities has shown, is just the trailer.

A country of over a billion people is on its way to becoming dry land. Millions living in Chennai and Bengaluru know this well and Delhi is on its way. Sadly, what the recent water crisis in India’s mega cities has shown, is just the trailer. It’s time to critically explore what brought us here and what we can do to resolve this deepening disaster. Since Independence, India has blindly followed the footsteps of the Western world. We have adopted cut-copy-paste models, ignoring how to innovate and implement progress in the Indian context. In the twentieth century, the western world primarily built its economy on the exploitation of natural resources, a template that India adopted without examining its impact on the country and its burgeoning population. Now that the West is moving towards more sustainable living and infrastructure development, India is too far behind and has too much to lose by continuing with this short-sighted approach. Due to our approach to building and planning cities without regard for population growth, natural resources and quality building standards, we have overpopulated crumbling metropolises without a solid foundation. There are no proper drainage or sewage systems to accommodate the rapid construction that is happening all around the country. Most of the water leaving buildings and houses is drained into rivers not only contaminating them, but also creating a system which is “use and throw”. This unsustainable approach to infrastructure development doesn’t take into account how much water we have, how much we need, and where it’s going to end up. Bengaluru has already run out of water because of overpopulation and lack of foresight in resource planning. The lakes around the city are contaminated in the absence of proper sewage treatment systems, which is common throughout the country. If the water was treated, it could be further used in maintaining water levels underground or reintegrated into rivers without contaminating them. Along with sustainable urban planning, we need to lower our dependence on the monsoons. If India wants to fulfill its dream of becoming a global powerhouse, it must successfully solve its water problems. It is a short-sighted approach to “wait and watch” for monsoons to end the drought. With changing climate and less rainwater predictability, we need to incorporate an extensive rainwater harvesting system where all buildings and households are equipped to gather and store rain. How many seasons do we have to watch as Mumbai is flooded during monsoon and is unable to successfully harness the excess water, before we decide to take action? Collection and storage also needs to apply to flooding rivers so that we maximise water availability throughout the whole year. However, even these two measures are not enough for us to foster the growing demands and ambitions of India. We are on our way to becoming the fourth-largest economy in the world, where a huge percentage of our economy is still dependent on agriculture, which in turn is heavily dependent on water. The industries that India is focused on to achieve its growth targets, such as tourism and textiles, are heavily water- dependent. Failure to educate the country’s population on water conservation is an opportunity we can’t afford to miss. Ground-level education and awareness building among farmers and the rural population is crucial. We should focus more on crops that require less water for crop yield and incorporate the use of technologies that minimise the use of water. In this way, the government should be investing in grass-roots community education and incentivising the use of new technologies among our farming population. Most leaders of India are now realising the grave crisis we are in. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has declared a special ministry, Jal Shakti, and chose to address this issue in his first speech after his re-election on Mann ki Baat. Water is fast becoming a commodity in India, and our leaders are facing the reality of millions of desperate people lining the streets with empty water containers each day, waiting for trucks to deliver the most basic of human needs. These desperate times are igniting anger within communities and discontent with our leaders. Our politicians at all levels have failed to deliver a proper, systematic and long-term solution to this worsening emergency. For starters, water and policies on climate change should become two election issues. But the government is not the only one to be held accountable. We, as people, have ignored and moved away from taking individual responsibility. People’s behaviour and an ignorant mindset is one of the reasons why we have arrived at this point. We are so blindly focused on making money and satisfying our superficial needs that we haven’t considered the impact of our actions on our natural environment. As long as there’s water running from the tap, we don’t care where it’s coming from or where it’s going to. Among the solutions for providing water security, we need to invest heavily in desalination plants and adopt the technologies of the future as Singapore, Israel and Spain have done. India has a huge coastline and massive investment in desalination plants would provide the water we could store. Why should we be lining the streets with empty buckets in hand when the technology lies at our fingertips? Democracy promises that when people elect a government, it will provide the population with life’s essential basics, but unfortunately, in India, people think their responsibility as a citizen stops as soon as they cast their vote. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Water crisis: We have moved away from taking individual responsibility

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly echoed his desire of making India a great power and according to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, the recognition by most Indians that the country’s global stature has ‘risen’ in the last five years, played a role in the NDA government retaining power for a second consecutive term.&nbsp;

“A large majority of people in India recognised that India’s stature in the world has risen in the last five years,” the minister said, adding that the government has kept alive and perhaps even strengthened expectations of change in India. A “global rebalancing” is taking place and its “sharpest manifestation” is the rise of China and, to an extent, the rise of India as well, Jaishankar said during an interaction at a seminar.

In 2015, Modi proclaimed that “the world needs to realise the greatness of India”. In 2014, he promised an “India first” policy that will see “a confident and sure India, engaging with the global community on its own terms and principles” and countering threats to India’s security from a position of strength.&nbsp;

Over the past decade-and-a-half, the buzzword for the ‘strategic’ community in India is the aspirational objective of seeing their country being projected as a major global power. They take umbrage at India’s description as a ‘regional’ power.

Many believe that India’s economic power, military strength and her important geostrategic location are factors that should announce its arrival in the world.&nbsp;

But not all are convinced. Leading strategist Bharat Karnad in his book Why India Is Not A Great Power? (Yet), says that India lacks ‘a driving vision’, a sense of ‘national destiny’, defining of ‘national interests’, and ‘willingness to use coercion and force in support of national interests’ along with ‘imaginative’ use of both hard and soft power, to be on par with great powers.

It is true that Modi has a rapport with world leaders. Conjuring up new slogans and initiatives (‘Make in India’, ‘Act East Policy’ or ‘Neighbourhood First’), he has presented himself as a hyper-active transformative leader who will make India great again.&nbsp;

To stave off the impression that India has not tamely capitulated to US pressure against old allies Iran or Russia, New Delhi must weigh its decision to reduce Iranian oil imports against its underlying concerns in the shape of the Chabahar project that provides India with key connectivity, or its decision to go ahead with the proposed deal of purchasing Russian S-400 anti-missile systems against a bilateral Indo-US trade of about $150 billion.&nbsp;

India should back a multi-polar world and balance its equation with the United States, while deepening military, political, and cultural relations with rising global powers such as Russia and China.&nbsp;

Besides looking at the US in-the-eye regarding Iran, the main initiative China has taken is to strike deals with oil and gas-rich countries such as Russia, Sudan and Venezuela to secure supplies of strategic energy resources.&nbsp;

In the “great power” trope, India must be upfront in accepting that it still has appalling poverty, caste and religious animosities. It is yet to attain economic clout on par with China or to develop a military-industrial complex of its own.&nbsp;

Silent but firm action should be the best propaganda. What could be the starting point? Here is a suggestion. Take out a well-thought-out population control policy. We’re a hopelessly populated country. More population means more jobs to create, more mouths to feed, more forests to remove, in short more resources to cater to them.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Modi’s pet new project “Piped Water for All by 2024” comes in the context of &nbsp;NITI Aayog’s warning that 21 Indian cities will run out of groundwater by 2020 and that 70 per cent of water bodies in India are contaminated.&nbsp;

According to a 2005 World Bank report, India will face a severe water crisis in 20 years if the government doesn’t change its ways. By 2020, the report says, India’s demand for water will exceed all sources of supply. It takes India to task for lacking a proper water management system, while its groundwater is disappearing and river bodies are turning into makeshift sewers. India has the world’s largest number of people without access to clean water.&nbsp;

Fanning out a “great power” vapour may wait till we deserve it by resolving issues that are more pressing to us.&nbsp;

(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-aspiring-for-world-power-status-the-bumpy-road-ahead-2765691">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly echoed his desire of making India a great power and according to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, the recognition by most Indians that the country’s global stature has ‘risen’ in the last five years, played a role in the NDA government retaining power for a second consecutive term.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly echoed his desire of making India a great power and according to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, the recognition by most Indians that the country’s global stature has ‘risen’ in the last five years, played a role in the NDA government retaining power for a second consecutive term. “A large majority of people in India recognised that India’s stature in the world has risen in the last five years,” the minister said, adding that the government has kept alive and perhaps even strengthened expectations of change in India. A “global rebalancing” is taking place and its “sharpest manifestation” is the rise of China and, to an extent, the rise of India as well, Jaishankar said during an interaction at a seminar. In 2015, Modi proclaimed that “the world needs to realise the greatness of India”. In 2014, he promised an “India first” policy that will see “a confident and sure India, engaging with the global community on its own terms and principles” and countering threats to India’s security from a position of strength. Over the past decade-and-a-half, the buzzword for the ‘strategic’ community in India is the aspirational objective of seeing their country being projected as a major global power. They take umbrage at India’s description as a ‘regional’ power. Many believe that India’s economic power, military strength and her important geostrategic location are factors that should announce its arrival in the world. But not all are convinced. Leading strategist Bharat Karnad in his book Why India Is Not A Great Power? (Yet), says that India lacks ‘a driving vision’, a sense of ‘national destiny’, defining of ‘national interests’, and ‘willingness to use coercion and force in support of national interests’ along with ‘imaginative’ use of both hard and soft power, to be on par with great powers. It is true that Modi has a rapport with world leaders. Conjuring up new slogans and initiatives (‘Make in India’, ‘Act East Policy’ or ‘Neighbourhood First’), he has presented himself as a hyper-active transformative leader who will make India great again. To stave off the impression that India has not tamely capitulated to US pressure against old allies Iran or Russia, New Delhi must weigh its decision to reduce Iranian oil imports against its underlying concerns in the shape of the Chabahar project that provides India with key connectivity, or its decision to go ahead with the proposed deal of purchasing Russian S-400 anti-missile systems against a bilateral Indo-US trade of about $150 billion. India should back a multi-polar world and balance its equation with the United States, while deepening military, political, and cultural relations with rising global powers such as Russia and China. Besides looking at the US in-the-eye regarding Iran, the main initiative China has taken is to strike deals with oil and gas-rich countries such as Russia, Sudan and Venezuela to secure supplies of strategic energy resources. In the “great power” trope, India must be upfront in accepting that it still has appalling poverty, caste and religious animosities. It is yet to attain economic clout on par with China or to develop a military-industrial complex of its own. Silent but firm action should be the best propaganda. What could be the starting point? Here is a suggestion. Take out a well-thought-out population control policy. We’re a hopelessly populated country. More population means more jobs to create, more mouths to feed, more forests to remove, in short more resources to cater to them. Prime Minister Modi’s pet new project “Piped Water for All by 2024” comes in the context of NITI Aayog’s warning that 21 Indian cities will run out of groundwater by 2020 and that 70 per cent of water bodies in India are contaminated. According to a 2005 World Bank report, India will face a severe water crisis in 20 years if the government doesn’t change its ways. By 2020, the report says, India’s demand for water will exceed all sources of supply. It takes India to task for lacking a proper water management system, while its groundwater is disappearing and river bodies are turning into makeshift sewers. India has the world’s largest number of people without access to clean water. Fanning out a “great power” vapour may wait till we deserve it by resolving issues that are more pressing to us. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Aspiring for world power status: The bumpy road ahead

Workers of a regional party took in India's southern Tamil Nadu state to the streets on Monday (June 24) to protest the water crisis prevailing in the parched province.

Protest, prayers in Indian state over water crisis

A row of vessels line a street corner where a water-tanker is parked, a gaggle of women quibble as they await their turn to get the pots filled, use water judiciously signboards outside hotels -- this is how Chennai looks if you visit the Tamil Nadu city as the water crisis deepens in the state.

India Watch: Severe water crisis in India

As large swathes of drought-devastated India desperately wait for the monsoon to arrive, one village in the dry, hot north is flush with water. 
 
But this farming area&#39;s bountiful water supplies are feared contaminated with heavy metals, underscoring the profound challenges facing the world&#39;s second-most populous nation. 
 
From toxic pollution of rivers and lakes to contamination of groundwater supplies, together with chronic shortages in drought-hit districts, India&#39;s water challenges are acute. 
 
In Gangnauli village of India&#39;s Uttar Pradesh, residents suspect their groundwater has been polluted by waste from local industries. 
 
&quot;The children complain of stomach pain and skin problems and I fear for their health&quot;, Divya Rathi says, as she watches her daughter play with buckets of water in her yard in Gangnauli. 
 
&quot;We need the government to do something about this,&quot; said the 25-year-old, adding she cannot afford the expensive water purifiers used by wealthier households. 
 
More than 130 million people live in areas of India where groundwater supplies are contaminated with at least one dangerous pollutant such as arsenic or nitrate, according to the World Resources Institute. 
 
Its analysis shows more than 20 million live in districts where supplies contain at least three pollutants exceeding safe limits. 
 
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s government has pledged billions of dollars to clean up the filthy holy Ganga river, while efforts are also under way to stop raw sewage and industrial waste spewing into India&#39;s waterways. 
 
But researcher Sushmita Sengupta warned it could be too late in some areas where groundwater has long been mismanaged. 
 
&quot;Once the groundwater is contaminated it&#39;s an almost irreversible process. Once it&#39;s destroyed it&#39;s lost forever,&quot; said Sengupta, of the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment. 
 
Parts of India are anxiously waiting for the annual monsoon currently sweeping across the country to provide relief to 330 million farmers and others. 
 
But experts say the torrential rains will not solve India&#39;s water problems unless much more is done to manage supplies. 
 
Rajendra Singh, dubbed the Water Man of India, said rains will fail to replenish the water table in many areas because unchecked urbanisation has destroyed wetlands and other natural recharge spots. 
 
&quot;It will just be a flash flood,&quot; said Singh, who has called for a ban on groundwater extraction for all purposes other than for drinking to allow aquifers a chance to recover. 
 
&quot;There is not enough drinkable water for Indians. Without water security there is nothing,&quot; said Singh, who last year won the Stockholm Water Prize for his work to boost supplies in villages in the desert state of Rajasthan. 
 
In Gangnauli, authorities have painted a red stripe on communal handpumps to warn residents after tests found the groundwater was contaminated. 
 
India&#39;s environment court, the National Green Tribunal, ordered handpumps in the district be sealed, and raised concerns about the health of residents drinking from them. 
 
Many instead draw water from borewells installed in their backyards. But they fear this groundwater is also contaminated by polluted rivers which have seeped into the water table. 
 
&quot;There is poison in the water,&quot; said farmer Dhramveer Singh, 50, who blames his son&#39;s severe bone deformities on the water. 
 
District magistrate Hriday Shankar Tiwari said the state government has acted to supply villagers with alternate supplies, including via water tanks and pipelines whose supplies are sourced from clean water deeper underground. 
 
&quot;We have also been sensitising villagers about the hazards of consuming contaminated water,&quot; Tiwari told AFP, although he casts doubt on concerns residents are falling ill. 
 
Village head Dharmendra Rathi said up to half of its 5,000 residents now received piped water, a situation he said was &quot;way better than what it used to be&quot;. 
 
But he said the pollution remained a problem with factory waste from neighbouring districts still discharged into the rivers. 
 
(AFP) 
 
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Residents in north India's Gangnauli village suspect chemicals from local industries have leeched into their drinking water

As large swathes of drought-devastated India desperately wait for the monsoon to arrive, one village in the dry, hot north is flush with water. But this farming area's bountiful water supplies are feared contaminated with heavy metals, underscoring the profound challenges facing the world's second-most populous nation. From toxic pollution of rivers and lakes to contamination of groundwater supplies, together with chronic shortages in drought-hit districts, India's water challenges are acute. In Gangnauli village of India's Uttar Pradesh, residents suspect their groundwater has been polluted by waste from local industries. "The children complain of stomach pain and skin problems and I fear for their health", Divya Rathi says, as she watches her daughter play with buckets of water in her yard in Gangnauli. "We need the government to do something about this," said the 25-year-old, adding she cannot afford the expensive water purifiers used by wealthier households. More than 130 million people live in areas of India where groundwater supplies are contaminated with at least one dangerous pollutant such as arsenic or nitrate, according to the World Resources Institute. Its analysis shows more than 20 million live in districts where supplies contain at least three pollutants exceeding safe limits. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has pledged billions of dollars to clean up the filthy holy Ganga river, while efforts are also under way to stop raw sewage and industrial waste spewing into India's waterways. But researcher Sushmita Sengupta warned it could be too late in some areas where groundwater has long been mismanaged. "Once the groundwater is contaminated it's an almost irreversible process. Once it's destroyed it's lost forever," said Sengupta, of the Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment. Parts of India are anxiously waiting for the annual monsoon currently sweeping across the country to provide relief to 330 million farmers and others. But experts say the torrential rains will not solve India's water problems unless much more is done to manage supplies. Rajendra Singh, dubbed the Water Man of India, said rains will fail to replenish the water table in many areas because unchecked urbanisation has destroyed wetlands and other natural recharge spots. "It will just be a flash flood," said Singh, who has called for a ban on groundwater extraction for all purposes other than for drinking to allow aquifers a chance to recover. "There is not enough drinkable water for Indians. Without water security there is nothing," said Singh, who last year won the Stockholm Water Prize for his work to boost supplies in villages in the desert state of Rajasthan. In Gangnauli, authorities have painted a red stripe on communal handpumps to warn residents after tests found the groundwater was contaminated. India's environment court, the National Green Tribunal, ordered handpumps in the district be sealed, and raised concerns about the health of residents drinking from them. Many instead draw water from borewells installed in their backyards. But they fear this groundwater is also contaminated by polluted rivers which have seeped into the water table. "There is poison in the water," said farmer Dhramveer Singh, 50, who blames his son's severe bone deformities on the water. District magistrate Hriday Shankar Tiwari said the state government has acted to supply villagers with alternate supplies, including via water tanks and pipelines whose supplies are sourced from clean water deeper underground. "We have also been sensitising villagers about the hazards of consuming contaminated water," Tiwari told AFP, although he casts doubt on concerns residents are falling ill. Village head Dharmendra Rathi said up to half of its 5,000 residents now received piped water, a situation he said was "way better than what it used to be". But he said the pollution remained a problem with factory waste from neighbouring districts still discharged into the rivers. (AFP)

Drought, pollution poisoning India's fresh water sources