With temperatures soaring to over the normal level in Pakistan's Rawalpindi, the city has been facing an acute shortage of water.

Low levels of underground water and lack of supply from dams are being largely blamed for the parched city.

Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Managing Director (MD) Raja Shaukat Mehmood said on Sunday that Rawalpindi city was getting 46 million gallons daily (MGD) against its need of 59 MGD, reported The Express Tribune.

Meanwhile, underground water has dropped to 650 feet while a cut in supply from Rawal and Khanpur dams had added to the shortage. The managing director informed that due to these factors, 460 tubewells installed to fulfil the water requirements of 1.6 million residents of Rawalpindi city are unable to meet demand.&nbsp;

The citizens were not getting water according to needs and the problem was worsening as the weather was turning hot, he added. According to Mehmood, the first phase of a water supply project is pending for the past two decades and has not been started despite the frequent review, reported The Express Tribune.

Even during the three years of the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, the project has only remained part of the discussions and meetings and no concrete efforts have been made to start it.

Other areas of Pakistan have also been struck with an acute water crisis. In April, Karachi was reportedly facing an acute shortage of water amid temperatures soaring to 40 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, the chief engineer of Guddu Barrage in Pakistan`s Sindh province has advised growers not to go for paddy sowing in May and June as the barrage as well as the province are experiencing `worst water shortage in 60 years.

This comes after the decision taken by the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) on Saturday to apply 32 per cent shortages for Punjab and Sindh provinces, reported Dawn. Amid the rising population and climate change, the availability of freshwater is becoming worrisome in South Asia, particularly in Pakistan, which may face absolute water scarcity by 2040.

According to a Washington-based magazine, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has placed Pakistan at the third position in the list of countries facing acute water scarcity.&nbsp;

Moreover, the per capita availability of fresh water in Pakistan has fallen below the water scarcity threshold (1,000 cubic meters), which was 3,950 cubic meters in 1961 and 1600 in 1991.

(With inputs from agencies)

With temperatures soaring to over the normal level in Pakistan's Rawalpindi, the city has been facing an acute shortage of water. Low levels of underground water and lack of supply from dams are being largely blamed for the parched city.

With temperatures soaring to over the normal level in Pakistan's Rawalpindi, the city has been facing an acute shortage of water. Low levels of underground water and lack of supply from dams are being largely blamed for the parched city. Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Managing Director (MD) Raja Shaukat Mehmood said on Sunday that Rawalpindi city was getting 46 million gallons daily (MGD) against its need of 59 MGD, reported The Express Tribune. Meanwhile, underground water has dropped to 650 feet while a cut in supply from Rawal and Khanpur dams had added to the shortage. The managing director informed that due to these factors, 460 tubewells installed to fulfil the water requirements of 1.6 million residents of Rawalpindi city are unable to meet demand. The citizens were not getting water according to needs and the problem was worsening as the weather was turning hot, he added. According to Mehmood, the first phase of a water supply project is pending for the past two decades and has not been started despite the frequent review, reported The Express Tribune. Even during the three years of the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, the project has only remained part of the discussions and meetings and no concrete efforts have been made to start it. Other areas of Pakistan have also been struck with an acute water crisis. In April, Karachi was reportedly facing an acute shortage of water amid temperatures soaring to 40 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, the chief engineer of Guddu Barrage in Pakistan`s Sindh province has advised growers not to go for paddy sowing in May and June as the barrage as well as the province are experiencing `worst water shortage in 60 years. This comes after the decision taken by the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) on Saturday to apply 32 per cent shortages for Punjab and Sindh provinces, reported Dawn. Amid the rising population and climate change, the availability of freshwater is becoming worrisome in South Asia, particularly in Pakistan, which may face absolute water scarcity by 2040. According to a Washington-based magazine, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has placed Pakistan at the third position in the list of countries facing acute water scarcity. Moreover, the per capita availability of fresh water in Pakistan has fallen below the water scarcity threshold (1,000 cubic meters), which was 3,950 cubic meters in 1961 and 1600 in 1991. (With inputs from agencies)

Pakistan: Amid rising temperatures, Rawalpindi faces acute water shortage

A surfer has died after being bitten by a shark at a beach north of Sydney, Australian authorities said on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Paramedics were called to Tuncurry Beach, about three hours' drive from Australia's most populous city following reports of the attack on Tuesday morning.&nbsp;

"Despite the best efforts of paramedics and bystanders at the scene, the man could not be resuscitated," New South Wales Ambulance tweeted.&nbsp;

The man, believed to be in his 50s, went into cardiac arrest after being bitten on his thigh, a spokesman said. Police said he was surfing when the attack occurred.&nbsp;

The New South Wales state government's SharkSmart organisation said beaches in the area had been closed until further notice following the incident.&nbsp;

It was the first fatal shark attack recorded in Australian waters this year, according to the Taronga Conservation Society Australia.&nbsp;

There were 26 maulings in 2020, eight of them fatal, data from the government agency shows.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A surfer has died after being bitten by a shark at a beach north of Sydney, Australian authorities said on Tuesday. Paramedics were called to Tuncurry Beach, about three hours' drive from Australia's most populous city following reports of the attack on Tuesday morning.

A surfer has died after being bitten by a shark at a beach north of Sydney, Australian authorities said on Tuesday. Paramedics were called to Tuncurry Beach, about three hours' drive from Australia's most populous city following reports of the attack on Tuesday morning. "Despite the best efforts of paramedics and bystanders at the scene, the man could not be resuscitated," New South Wales Ambulance tweeted. The man, believed to be in his 50s, went into cardiac arrest after being bitten on his thigh, a spokesman said. Police said he was surfing when the attack occurred. The New South Wales state government's SharkSmart organisation said beaches in the area had been closed until further notice following the incident. It was the first fatal shark attack recorded in Australian waters this year, according to the Taronga Conservation Society Australia. There were 26 maulings in 2020, eight of them fatal, data from the government agency shows. (With inputs from agencies)

Surfer dies after shark attack in Australia 

Our red neighbour Mars hosted lakes and oceans for a long time billions of years ago. But where did all the water go? Turns out, scientists may finally have the answer to disappearance of water from the Red Planet.

It has been believed for long that the water was lost to space. But now, scientists claim that the water is trapped within minerals in Mars’ crust. The study, funded by NASA says that between 30-99 per cent of the initial water which was on Mars remains trapped inside minerals.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/mystery-of-oumuamua-solved-find-out-where-the-foreign-space-object-came-from-371045" hreflang="en">Mystery of 'Oumuamua' solved: Find out where the foreign space object came from!</a>

Eva Scheller, lead author of the paper published in Science, told AFP that that the “crust forms what we call hydrated minerals”. These are minerals with water in their crystal structure. Earlier estimates suggest that Mars had at least 100 to 1,500 metres of ocean, covering different parts of the planet.

Over time, the planet lost its magnetic field due to which its atmosphere died off over time. Scientists believed that the water also perished during this time. Now, researchers claim that even though a lot of water was lost, majority of it remains&nbsp;on the planet.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/nasa-discovers-three-microbes-that-may-help-grow-plants-on-mars-370933" hreflang="en">NASA discovers three microbes that may help grow plants on Mars</a>

They reached this conclusion by focusing on hydrogen - a key component of water. They observed the data of Mars rovers, supplementing it with information of meteorites from the planet. Scientists believe the water was lost to two mechanisms: the trapping of water in crust’s minerals, and loss of water to the atmosphere.

They say that the planet lost most of its water four to 3.7 billion years ago. This essentially means that Mars as we know it today has existed for the last three billion years.

Our red neighbour Mars hosted lakes and oceans for a long time billions of years ago. But where did all the water go? Turns out, scientists may finally have the answer to disappearance of water from the Red Planet.

Our red neighbour Mars hosted lakes and oceans for a long time billions of years ago. But where did all the water go? Turns out, scientists may finally have the answer to disappearance of water from the Red Planet. It has been believed for long that the water was lost to space. But now, scientists claim that the water is trapped within minerals in Mars’ crust. The study, funded by NASA says that between 30-99 per cent of the initial water which was on Mars remains trapped inside minerals. Also read: Mystery of 'Oumuamua' solved: Find out where the foreign space object came from! Eva Scheller, lead author of the paper published in Science, told AFP that that the “crust forms what we call hydrated minerals”. These are minerals with water in their crystal structure. Earlier estimates suggest that Mars had at least 100 to 1,500 metres of ocean, covering different parts of the planet. Over time, the planet lost its magnetic field due to which its atmosphere died off over time. Scientists believed that the water also perished during this time. Now, researchers claim that even though a lot of water was lost, majority of it remains on the planet. Also read: NASA discovers three microbes that may help grow plants on Mars They reached this conclusion by focusing on hydrogen - a key component of water. They observed the data of Mars rovers, supplementing it with information of meteorites from the planet. Scientists believe the water was lost to two mechanisms: the trapping of water in crust’s minerals, and loss of water to the atmosphere. They say that the planet lost most of its water four to 3.7 billion years ago. This essentially means that Mars as we know it today has existed for the last three billion years.

What really happened to water on Mars? Scientists finally have the answer!

Residents in a city in USA's Mississippi state are without water for weeks, said media reports from number of credible outlets. Residents of Jackson, Mississippi have been facing this situation since a winter storm lashed the area in February. The storm interfered with the functioning of the city's water plant and broke water pipes that were frozen solid. The residents are even without drinking water.

As per reports, there are no sure signs of water supply getting restored in near future.

Since February 23, local authorities have issued advisories saying people should boil water before drinking it.

As citizens battled severe shortage of water, aging infrastructure is being blamed for failure to restore water supply. Public Works Director has been quoted by CNN as saying that the system "crashed like a computer". He added that the administration was working to bring the situation back to normal but that progress had been slow.

Angry residents are commenting on Jackson city's official Facebook page.

"Every year we have some type of issue with the water. This didn’t just start but every year you gotta PLAN and stop just trying to put a bandage on the problem WHEN it happens," writes Mary Evans Fox

People are understandably upset that the repair work is going on at Snail's pace

"The repairs are very slow. How many people are working on these breaks.? Have you contracted to get others on staff like the power company did?," wrote Charlotte Bryant

Marq McPherson voices concern about what is being reported in media about aging infrastructure in the city.

"Jackson has an incredibly old water infrastructure that has been ignored for the better part of 50 years..." says Marq

After February's winter storm, the weather has warmed and power is back, but citizens are still waiting for water supply to get restored.

Residents in a city in USA's Mississippi state are without water for weeks, said media reports from number of credible outlets. Residents of Jackson, Mississippi have been facing this situation since a winter storm lashed the area in February.

Residents in a city in USA's Mississippi state are without water for weeks, said media reports from number of credible outlets. Residents of Jackson, Mississippi have been facing this situation since a winter storm lashed the area in February. The storm interfered with the functioning of the city's water plant and broke water pipes that were frozen solid. The residents are even without drinking water. As per reports, there are no sure signs of water supply getting restored in near future. Since February 23, local authorities have issued advisories saying people should boil water before drinking it. As citizens battled severe shortage of water, aging infrastructure is being blamed for failure to restore water supply. Public Works Director has been quoted by CNN as saying that the system "crashed like a computer". He added that the administration was working to bring the situation back to normal but that progress had been slow. Angry residents are commenting on Jackson city's official Facebook page. "Every year we have some type of issue with the water. This didn’t just start but every year you gotta PLAN and stop just trying to put a bandage on the problem WHEN it happens," writes Mary Evans Fox People are understandably upset that the repair work is going on at Snail's pace "The repairs are very slow. How many people are working on these breaks.? Have you contracted to get others on staff like the power company did?," wrote Charlotte Bryant Marq McPherson voices concern about what is being reported in media about aging infrastructure in the city. "Jackson has an incredibly old water infrastructure that has been ignored for the better part of 50 years..." says Marq After February's winter storm, the weather has warmed and power is back, but citizens are still waiting for water supply to get restored.

Residents in Mississippi in US without water for weeks

Thousands still remained without power and water in Texas as an ice storm hit the state. Texas government said that power generation plants in the state are back on line but the reality on the ground is different.

WION Dispatch | Texas Snowstorm: Some electricity restored but water woes persist

The densely-populated Gaza Strip has long lacked sufficient drinking water, but a new project helps ease the shortage with a solar-powered process to extract potable water straight from the air.

Extracting potable water from air | This Israeli firm in Gaza is turning air into drinking water

Water is the new gold. In a first, water is being traded on Wall Street, like oil. Traders are betting on water. Is this a horror story or the way to secure the natural resource?

Gravitas: Wall street is trading water!

The fact that the Moon has water on its surface is widely known. But now, latest observations say that water may be more widespread on the lunar surface than previously thought. These water molecules are trapped within mineral grains on the lunar surface. And more water may be there in ice patches on the part of the Moon that is permanently in the shadow.

While research 11 years ago indicated the water was relatively widespread in small amounts on the moon, a team of scientists is now reporting the first unambiguous detection of water molecules on the lunar surface. At the same time, another team is reporting that the moon possesses roughly 15,000 square miles (40,000 square kilometers) of permanent shadows that potentially could harbor hidden pockets of water in the form of ice.

Water is a precious resource and a relatively plentiful lunar presence could prove important to future astronaut and robotic missions seeking to extract and utilize water for purposes such as a drinking supply or a fuel ingredient.

A team of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland has now detected molecular water on the Moon's surface. These molecules are trapped within natural glasses or between debris grains.

Previous observations have suffered from ambiguity between water and its molecular cousin hydroxyl, but the new detection used a method that yielded unambiguous findings.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/hubble-telescope-gives-closer-look-at-rare-asteroid-worth-70000-times-the-global-economy-338984">Hubble telescope gives closer look at rare asteroid worth 70,000 times the global economy</a> 
 
The only way for this water to survive on the sunlit lunar surfaces where it was observed was to be embedded within mineral grains, protecting it from the frigid and foreboding environment. The researchers used data from the SOFIA airborne observatory, a Boeing 747SP aircraft modified to carry a telescope.

“A lot of people think that the detection I’ve made is water ice, which is not true. It’s just the water molecules - because they’re so spread out they don’t interact with each other to form water ice or even liquid water,” Honniball said.

The second study, also published in the journal Nature Astronomy, focused upon so-called cold traps on the moon, regions of its surface that exist in a state of perpetual darkness where temperatures are below about negative 260 degrees Fahrenheit (negative 163 degrees Celsius). That is cold enough that frozen water can remain stable for billions of years.

Using data from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft, researchers led by planetary scientist Paul Hayne of the University of Colorado, Boulder detected what may be tens of billions of small shadows, many no bigger than a small coin. Most are located in the polar regions.

“Our research shows that a multitude of previously unknown regions of the moon could harbor water ice,” Hayne said. “Our results suggest that water could be much more widespread in the moon’s polar regions than previously thought, making it easier to access, extract and analyze.”

NASA is planning a return of astronauts to the moon, a mission envisioned as paving the way for a later journey carrying a crew to Mars. Accessible sources where water can be harvested on the moon would beneficial to those endeavors.

“Water is not just constrained to the polar region. It’s more spread out than we thought it was,” Honniball said.

Another mystery that remains unsolved is the source of the lunar water.

“The origin of water on the moon is one of the big-picture questions we are trying to answer through this and other research,” Hayne said. “Currently, the major contenders are comets, asteroids or small interplanetary dust particles, the solar wind, and the moon itself through outgassing from volcanic eruptions.”

Earth is a wet world, with vast salty oceans, large freshwater lakes and ice caps that serve as water reservoirs.

“As our closest planetary companion, understanding the origins of water on the moon can also shed light on the origins of Earth’s water - still an open question in planetary science,” Hayne added.

(With Reuters inputs)

The fact that the Moon has water on its surface is widely known. But now, latest observations say that water may be more widespread on the lunar surface than previously thought.

The fact that the Moon has water on its surface is widely known. But now, latest observations say that water may be more widespread on the lunar surface than previously thought. These water molecules are trapped within mineral grains on the lunar surface. And more water may be there in ice patches on the part of the Moon that is permanently in the shadow. While research 11 years ago indicated the water was relatively widespread in small amounts on the moon, a team of scientists is now reporting the first unambiguous detection of water molecules on the lunar surface. At the same time, another team is reporting that the moon possesses roughly 15,000 square miles (40,000 square kilometers) of permanent shadows that potentially could harbor hidden pockets of water in the form of ice. Water is a precious resource and a relatively plentiful lunar presence could prove important to future astronaut and robotic missions seeking to extract and utilize water for purposes such as a drinking supply or a fuel ingredient. A team of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland has now detected molecular water on the Moon's surface. These molecules are trapped within natural glasses or between debris grains. Previous observations have suffered from ambiguity between water and its molecular cousin hydroxyl, but the new detection used a method that yielded unambiguous findings. Also Read | Hubble telescope gives closer look at rare asteroid worth 70,000 times the global economy The only way for this water to survive on the sunlit lunar surfaces where it was observed was to be embedded within mineral grains, protecting it from the frigid and foreboding environment. The researchers used data from the SOFIA airborne observatory, a Boeing 747SP aircraft modified to carry a telescope. “A lot of people think that the detection I’ve made is water ice, which is not true. It’s just the water molecules - because they’re so spread out they don’t interact with each other to form water ice or even liquid water,” Honniball said. The second study, also published in the journal Nature Astronomy, focused upon so-called cold traps on the moon, regions of its surface that exist in a state of perpetual darkness where temperatures are below about negative 260 degrees Fahrenheit (negative 163 degrees Celsius). That is cold enough that frozen water can remain stable for billions of years. Using data from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft, researchers led by planetary scientist Paul Hayne of the University of Colorado, Boulder detected what may be tens of billions of small shadows, many no bigger than a small coin. Most are located in the polar regions. “Our research shows that a multitude of previously unknown regions of the moon could harbor water ice,” Hayne said. “Our results suggest that water could be much more widespread in the moon’s polar regions than previously thought, making it easier to access, extract and analyze.” NASA is planning a return of astronauts to the moon, a mission envisioned as paving the way for a later journey carrying a crew to Mars. Accessible sources where water can be harvested on the moon would beneficial to those endeavors. “Water is not just constrained to the polar region. It’s more spread out than we thought it was,” Honniball said. Another mystery that remains unsolved is the source of the lunar water. “The origin of water on the moon is one of the big-picture questions we are trying to answer through this and other research,” Hayne said. “Currently, the major contenders are comets, asteroids or small interplanetary dust particles, the solar wind, and the moon itself through outgassing from volcanic eruptions.” Earth is a wet world, with vast salty oceans, large freshwater lakes and ice caps that serve as water reservoirs. “As our closest planetary companion, understanding the origins of water on the moon can also shed light on the origins of Earth’s water - still an open question in planetary science,” Hayne added. (With Reuters inputs)

Water more widespread on Moon than previously thought

NASA has confirmed, for the first time, that there is water on the sunlit surface of the moon. The discovery means future missions to the moon could be prolonged by making use of these water molecules which are scattered across the moon.

NASA reveals discovery of water molecules on moon

Eight cities in Texas have issued a disaster declaration for the locals after a&nbsp;brain-eating amoeba was found in the water being supplied through the taps.

An advisory was issued by the&nbsp;Texas Commission on Environmental Quality that stated that&nbsp;Naegleria fowleri — a brain-eating amoeba — was found in the water supplied to the households by the&nbsp;Brazosport Water Authority.

"The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality at the direction of the Governor's Office is working with Brazosport Water Authority to resolve the issue as quickly as possible," the advisory read.

The affected cities are Lake Jackson, Freeport, Angleton, Brazoria, Richwood, Oyster Creek, Clute and Rosenberg, Texas, along with the Dow Chemical plant in Freeport and the Clemens and Wayne Scott Texas Department of Criminal Justice corrections facilities.

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*UPDATE* Do Not Use Water Advisory LIFTED for most Brazosport Water Authority users 
 
Lake Jackson residents are still urged to heed DO NOT USE Water Advisory. <a href="https://t.co/QEJ0uTNGUi">https://t.co/QEJ0uTNGUi</a> <a href="https://t.co/N8f1wVxnfT">pic.twitter.com/N8f1wVxnfT</a>
— Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (@TCEQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/TCEQ/status/1309888620791238656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2020</a></blockquote>
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This amoeba is commonly found in&nbsp;unchlorinated,&nbsp;unhygienic and poorly-maintained pools and warm water storage industrial units. It can also come from soil,&nbsp;warm lakes and rivers, as per CDC.

Amobea-filled water was noticed when a six-year-old boy&nbsp;was hospitalised with the amoeba. When the boy was admitted, the local authorities and the CDC started inspecting water samples from&nbsp;a water fountain "splash pad" in front of Lake Jackson Civic Center or through water emitted from a hose at the boy's home, as per the statement.

These infections are rare, but can be fatal. As per the data provided by the CDC, nearly 145 people were infected from 1962 to 2018 and only four survived the infection.

While some areas have been given the green signal now, Lake Jackson residents are still being urged to not use the tap water.

Eight cities in Texas have issued a disaster declaration for the locals after a brain-eating amoeba was found in the water being supplied through the taps. An advisory was issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality that stated that Naegleria fowleri — a brain-eating amoeba — was found in the water supplied to the households by the Brazosport Water Authority.

Eight cities in Texas have issued a disaster declaration for the locals after a brain-eating amoeba was found in the water being supplied through the taps. An advisory was issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality that stated that Naegleria fowleri — a brain-eating amoeba — was found in the water supplied to the households by the Brazosport Water Authority. "The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality at the direction of the Governor's Office is working with Brazosport Water Authority to resolve the issue as quickly as possible," the advisory read. The affected cities are Lake Jackson, Freeport, Angleton, Brazoria, Richwood, Oyster Creek, Clute and Rosenberg, Texas, along with the Dow Chemical plant in Freeport and the Clemens and Wayne Scott Texas Department of Criminal Justice corrections facilities. *UPDATE* Do Not Use Water Advisory LIFTED for most Brazosport Water Authority users Lake Jackson residents are still urged to heed DO NOT USE Water Advisory. https://t.co/QEJ0uTNGUi pic.twitter.com/N8f1wVxnfT — Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (@TCEQ) September 26, 2020 × This amoeba is commonly found in unchlorinated, unhygienic and poorly-maintained pools and warm water storage industrial units. It can also come from soil, warm lakes and rivers, as per CDC. Amobea-filled water was noticed when a six-year-old boy was hospitalised with the amoeba. When the boy was admitted, the local authorities and the CDC started inspecting water samples from a water fountain "splash pad" in front of Lake Jackson Civic Center or through water emitted from a hose at the boy's home, as per the statement. These infections are rare, but can be fatal. As per the data provided by the CDC, nearly 145 people were infected from 1962 to 2018 and only four survived the infection. While some areas have been given the green signal now, Lake Jackson residents are still being urged to not use the tap water.

Do not drink: Eight cities in US find brain-eating amoeba in tap water

Calling Water essential to human rights, India has said that it is committed to ensuring access to it for its citizens at the United Nations Human Rights Council or UN HRC. India's first secretary to United Nations in Geneva, Vimarsh Aryan said, "India is committed to ensuring access to water and sanitation in all spheres of life beyond the household, particularly in public spaces" which is "an essential element of the human rights to water and sanitation."

The Indian government has undertaken Jal Shakti Abhiyan which focuses on water conservation and water security.

Highlighting Sabka Saath, Sabka vikas, Sabka Vishwas motto of the Indian Govt, Vimarsh said,"with the objective of citizen-centric governance we have accorded highest priority to ensuring access to water and sanitation for all citizens through two flagship programmes — Swachh Bharat Mission and Jal Jeevan Mission".&nbsp;

Under the Swachh Bharat mission, all Indian states have already declared themselves open defecation free. The focus of Jal Jeevan Mission is on providing functional tap connection to all households in the country.

India's statement was at the interactive dialogue with the special rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation at the 45th session of the Human Rights Council.

Calling Water essential to human rights, India has said that it is committed to ensuring access to it for its citizens at the United Nations Human Rights Council or UN HRC.

Calling Water essential to human rights, India has said that it is committed to ensuring access to it for its citizens at the United Nations Human Rights Council or UN HRC. India's first secretary to United Nations in Geneva, Vimarsh Aryan said, "India is committed to ensuring access to water and sanitation in all spheres of life beyond the household, particularly in public spaces" which is "an essential element of the human rights to water and sanitation." The Indian government has undertaken Jal Shakti Abhiyan which focuses on water conservation and water security. Highlighting Sabka Saath, Sabka vikas, Sabka Vishwas motto of the Indian Govt, Vimarsh said,"with the objective of citizen-centric governance we have accorded highest priority to ensuring access to water and sanitation for all citizens through two flagship programmes — Swachh Bharat Mission and Jal Jeevan Mission". Under the Swachh Bharat mission, all Indian states have already declared themselves open defecation free. The focus of Jal Jeevan Mission is on providing functional tap connection to all households in the country. India's statement was at the interactive dialogue with the special rapporteur on the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation at the 45th session of the Human Rights Council.

Water essential element to human right, committed to ensuring access says India at Human Rights Council

The water supply in Syria's north northeastern province of Hasakah has been cut off by Turkey due to which lives of around 460,000 people are at risk. Residents are forced to choose between water & food.

Taps run dry in Syria's Hasakah due to water supply cut off by Turkey

<a href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/wireless-device-makes-clean-fuel-from-sunlight-co2-and-water">Researchers from the University of Cambridge</a> have developed a first-of-kind device that converts sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water into carbon-neutral fuel. This conversion takes place without requiring any additional components or electricity.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/explore-connect-and-create-worlds-first-floating-apple-store-to-open-in-singapore-322956" hreflang="en">'Explore, connect and create': World's first floating Apple store to open in Singapore</a>

This device is a major step towards achieving artificial photosynthesis, which is a process mimicking the ability of plants to convert sunlight into energy.

The device is based on an advanced ‘photosheet’ technology and converts sunlight, carbon dioxide and water into oxygen and formic acid which is a storable fuel that can be either be used directly or be converted into hydrogen.

According to the report in the journal New Energy, the results represent a brand new method to convert CO2 (carbon dioxide) into clean fuels. The production of this device can be scaled up to be used on energy ‘farms’ similar to solar farms, producing clean fuel using sunlight and water.

“It’s been difficult to achieve artificial photosynthesis with a high degree of selectivity, so that you’re converting as much of the sunlight as possible into the fuel you want, rather than be left with a lot of waste,” said first author Dr Qian Wang from Cambridge’s Department of Chemistry.

“In addition, storage of gaseous fuels and separation of by-products can be complicated — we want to get to the point where we can cleanly produce a liquid fuel that can also be easily stored and transported,” said Professor Erwin Reisner, the paper’s senior author.

This new wireless device is sturdy and produces clean fuel that is easier to store and shows potential for producing fuel products at scale. The size of the test unit is 20 square centimetres, however, the researchers believe that it should be relatively straightforward to scale it up to several square meters.

Moreover, the formic acid can be accumulated in solution, and be chemically converted into different types of fuel.

“We were surprised how well it worked in terms of its selectivity — it produced almost no by-products,” said Wang. “Sometimes things don’t work as well as you expected, but this was a rare case where it actually worked better.”

Researchers from the University of Cambridge have developed a first-of-kind device that converts sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water into carbon-neutral fuel. This conversion takes place without requiring any additional components or electricity.

Researchers from the University of Cambridge have developed a first-of-kind device that converts sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water into carbon-neutral fuel. This conversion takes place without requiring any additional components or electricity. Also read: 'Explore, connect and create': World's first floating Apple store to open in Singapore This device is a major step towards achieving artificial photosynthesis, which is a process mimicking the ability of plants to convert sunlight into energy. The device is based on an advanced ‘photosheet’ technology and converts sunlight, carbon dioxide and water into oxygen and formic acid which is a storable fuel that can be either be used directly or be converted into hydrogen. According to the report in the journal New Energy, the results represent a brand new method to convert CO2 (carbon dioxide) into clean fuels. The production of this device can be scaled up to be used on energy ‘farms’ similar to solar farms, producing clean fuel using sunlight and water. “It’s been difficult to achieve artificial photosynthesis with a high degree of selectivity, so that you’re converting as much of the sunlight as possible into the fuel you want, rather than be left with a lot of waste,” said first author Dr Qian Wang from Cambridge’s Department of Chemistry. “In addition, storage of gaseous fuels and separation of by-products can be complicated — we want to get to the point where we can cleanly produce a liquid fuel that can also be easily stored and transported,” said Professor Erwin Reisner, the paper’s senior author. This new wireless device is sturdy and produces clean fuel that is easier to store and shows potential for producing fuel products at scale. The size of the test unit is 20 square centimetres, however, the researchers believe that it should be relatively straightforward to scale it up to several square meters. Moreover, the formic acid can be accumulated in solution, and be chemically converted into different types of fuel. “We were surprised how well it worked in terms of its selectivity — it produced almost no by-products,” said Wang. “Sometimes things don’t work as well as you expected, but this was a rare case where it actually worked better.”

Artificial Photosynthesis: Device that converts sunlight, CO2 and water into clean fuel

There’s so much about our planet that we don’t know. The biggest mystery besides the fact that we live on a gaseous ball floating in space is perhaps how little knowledge we have of our oceanic bodies.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/ocean-bed-now-has-more-microplastics-than-ever-before-296144" hreflang="en">Ocean bed now has more microplastics than ever before</a>

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), about 95 per cent of the world’s oceans and 99 per cent of the ocean floor remain unexplored, implying we know little to nothing about the ocean. 
 
A sinkhole of sorts

A few years ago, scientists discovered “blue holes” on the ocean floor. Now, they’re set on studying it.

A blue hole is intrinsically a sinkhole in the ocean floor, which creates a cave like structure. Located off Florida’s coast, the hole has been nicknamed the “Green Banana”.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/science/dinosaur-era-microbes-lying-dormant-in-ocean-resuscitated-by-scientists-316620" hreflang="en">Dinosaur-era microbes lying dormant in ocean resuscitated by scientists</a>

Reported first by the Independent, the exploration mission for Green Banana is starting this month. The hole is 300 feet deep, which very little is known about.

Scientists are looking for a lot of answers, primarily whether the water inside the hole is different than the regular saltwater found in the ocean, which is situated higher than the cavern.

Freshwater caves?

It is entirely possible that these holes are a product of freshwater micro-bodies in the ocean. “Green Banana” hosts a lot of life, including fish and aquatic plants. Scientists want to understand what creates such conditions near the hole.

The water looks different too. As opposed to the general ruggedness of the ocean water, the water surrounding the hole is much clearer, which is another mystery that remains unsolved.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/plastic-pollution-flowing-into-oceans-to-triple-by-2040-study-315624" hreflang="en">Plastic pollution flowing into oceans to triple by 2040: Study</a>

To better understand this, researchers intend to drop a piece of hardware into the water. Similar to objects sent to space, a “lander” of an aquatic kind will be hoisted in the Green Banana hole.

At the same time, scientists will collect samples from the water. The lander will try to understand the basic differences between ocean water and blue hole water.

The mission, which begins later in August, is funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Many scientists believe that the vicinity of blue holes situated close to one another might hold some key in understanding them - perhaps a cave like network of freshwater springs hiding in the innards of the ocean.

There’s so much about our planet that we don’t know. The biggest mystery besides the fact that we live on a gaseous ball floating in space is perhaps how little knowledge we have of our oceanic bodies.

There’s so much about our planet that we don’t know. The biggest mystery besides the fact that we live on a gaseous ball floating in space is perhaps how little knowledge we have of our oceanic bodies. Also read: Ocean bed now has more microplastics than ever before According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), about 95 per cent of the world’s oceans and 99 per cent of the ocean floor remain unexplored, implying we know little to nothing about the ocean. A sinkhole of sorts A few years ago, scientists discovered “blue holes” on the ocean floor. Now, they’re set on studying it. A blue hole is intrinsically a sinkhole in the ocean floor, which creates a cave like structure. Located off Florida’s coast, the hole has been nicknamed the “Green Banana”. Also read: Dinosaur-era microbes lying dormant in ocean resuscitated by scientists Reported first by the Independent, the exploration mission for Green Banana is starting this month. The hole is 300 feet deep, which very little is known about. Scientists are looking for a lot of answers, primarily whether the water inside the hole is different than the regular saltwater found in the ocean, which is situated higher than the cavern. Freshwater caves? It is entirely possible that these holes are a product of freshwater micro-bodies in the ocean. “Green Banana” hosts a lot of life, including fish and aquatic plants. Scientists want to understand what creates such conditions near the hole. The water looks different too. As opposed to the general ruggedness of the ocean water, the water surrounding the hole is much clearer, which is another mystery that remains unsolved. Also read: Plastic pollution flowing into oceans to triple by 2040: Study To better understand this, researchers intend to drop a piece of hardware into the water. Similar to objects sent to space, a “lander” of an aquatic kind will be hoisted in the Green Banana hole. At the same time, scientists will collect samples from the water. The lander will try to understand the basic differences between ocean water and blue hole water. The mission, which begins later in August, is funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Many scientists believe that the vicinity of blue holes situated close to one another might hold some key in understanding them - perhaps a cave like network of freshwater springs hiding in the innards of the ocean.

Scientists to begin studying 'blue holes' situated deep in the ocean this month

A handful of rubber floats tumbled down the giant slide at South Korea's largest waterpark Caribbean Bay on Friday (June 5), its first day back in business since the coronavirus pandemic hit.

Testing the waters: South Korea's largest waterpark opens under new anti-virus measures

Imagine. Every day you have to carry 30-40 litres of water on your head and walk on rugged paths for 6-9 hours daily. Your back buckling under the heavyweight of the water.&nbsp;

Your feet hurting, walking 5-7 kilometres daily in the scorching heat. Fetching water doesn’t get you any money. It only gets you survival. Life. This is how 82 per cent of rural households in India get their water. According to the Jal Shakti Ministry, 18 crore people living in rural areas don’t have access to piped water. The source of water being kilometres away. Often dirty and in summer months dry.&nbsp;

Women in these households perform this task of fetching water daily, which you wouldn’t even dare to do. Access to clean drinking water in rural India is a massive challenge. Niti Aayog report states that 70 per cent of India’s surface water — rivers, lakes, ponds and wetlands etc are polluted.&nbsp;

This makes the proximity to the source of clean water a serious problem. Our governments, public policy practitioners, non-government organisations and society at large — all stakeholders have come out with various solutions to the problem. Water is&nbsp;a subject which state governments deal with, but the union government has announced a massive integrated plan called Jal Jeevan Mission. Rs 3.6 lakh crore are to be spent on this project which aims to provide piped water connection to every rural household by 2024.

It is essential to understand the water system, its vastness and complexities. First, in any developing country, building and managing water infrastructure is a huge societal enterprise. A large amount of capital expenditure is necessary to build piped water&nbsp;networks. We are witnessing that in the proposed Jal Jeevan Mission.

Second, the storage of water is easy and convenient but the transportation of water is difficult and very expensive. Compare that with the transportation of similar natural resource, let’s say electricity. Electricity is easy to transport, but difficult to store. This is&nbsp;in diametrically opposite to water. No wonder, in India, electricity transportation to remote areas is still an easy task than distributing water. Long-distance transportation of electricity is feasible, but water transportation is required for localised areas.

Third, contaminated water always returns as food on our table. Most of our rivers are lying on deathbeds due to heavy pollution and human exploitation. Agricultural runoff is harmful to rivers because of the use of chemicals for cultivation, which has become the&nbsp;norm today. Any food growing on their banks is laced with heavy toxins and chemicals.

Policy interventions should be simple. Governments should have minimum interference upon the lives of individuals. The problem of access to water to rural India can have multiple solutions. So, what is the one simplest solution to this problem?

We need to clean up our surface water. The 70 per cent polluted surface water sources which Niti Aayog has identified consist of 13,000 lakes, ponds and wetlands, apart from 35 tributaries of major rivers. Even if we clean-up 13000 water bodies. It will solve only part of the problem. We need to begin somewhere. A ‘Swachh Jal Mission’ should be undertaken within the framework of the Jal Jeevan Mission, which if implemented correctly can clean these 13000 surface water bodies. Installing de-silting machinery and 
ecological cleaning are the easy ways which we can do it.

Critics may argue that we already have similar mechanisms under the Namami Gange scheme launched by the union government and it is not showing many results. This is because the little emphasis is there on the monitoring of this mechanism in the Ganga&nbsp;cleaning mission. Every district should have a Swachh Jal Centre which can use technology to monitor the pollutant levels in the water bodies. Independent audits need to be done to oversee the entire process.

An awareness campaign which highlights the importance of clean water bodies in rural areas must be launched. An estimated 15 lakh hectares of water bodies will be cleaned up, and an additional 2.33 crore households will have access to clean water, if this mechanism is adopted. This will benefit 13 per cent households, thus lowering the 82 per cent household without access to around 68 per cent. Some progress, indeed.

According to the author’s rough calculations, an amount of Rs 7,000 crore is projected to be spent for 3 years, if this simple mechanism is adopted for 13000 water bodies. This is a small figure compared to what the government intends to spend.&nbsp;

Water is the lifeline of our existence. It is not just an economic good, but it has cultural, social and environmental significance. Civilizations are born and destroyed by water.

India has a rich culture of preserving water through our step wells and bawlis. Cleaning up water and using it as an economic asset is the need of the hour. As the Sanskrit shloka goes – Prakritih Rakshati Rakshita — Nature protects, if it is protected.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Imagine. Every day you have to carry 30-40 litres of water on your head and walk on rugged paths for 6-9 hours daily. Your back buckling under the heavyweight of the water.

Imagine. Every day you have to carry 30-40 litres of water on your head and walk on rugged paths for 6-9 hours daily. Your back buckling under the heavyweight of the water. Your feet hurting, walking 5-7 kilometres daily in the scorching heat. Fetching water doesn’t get you any money. It only gets you survival. Life. This is how 82 per cent of rural households in India get their water. According to the Jal Shakti Ministry, 18 crore people living in rural areas don’t have access to piped water. The source of water being kilometres away. Often dirty and in summer months dry. Women in these households perform this task of fetching water daily, which you wouldn’t even dare to do. Access to clean drinking water in rural India is a massive challenge. Niti Aayog report states that 70 per cent of India’s surface water — rivers, lakes, ponds and wetlands etc are polluted. This makes the proximity to the source of clean water a serious problem. Our governments, public policy practitioners, non-government organisations and society at large — all stakeholders have come out with various solutions to the problem. Water is a subject which state governments deal with, but the union government has announced a massive integrated plan called Jal Jeevan Mission. Rs 3.6 lakh crore are to be spent on this project which aims to provide piped water connection to every rural household by 2024. It is essential to understand the water system, its vastness and complexities. First, in any developing country, building and managing water infrastructure is a huge societal enterprise. A large amount of capital expenditure is necessary to build piped water networks. We are witnessing that in the proposed Jal Jeevan Mission. Second, the storage of water is easy and convenient but the transportation of water is difficult and very expensive. Compare that with the transportation of similar natural resource, let’s say electricity. Electricity is easy to transport, but difficult to store. This is in diametrically opposite to water. No wonder, in India, electricity transportation to remote areas is still an easy task than distributing water. Long-distance transportation of electricity is feasible, but water transportation is required for localised areas. Third, contaminated water always returns as food on our table. Most of our rivers are lying on deathbeds due to heavy pollution and human exploitation. Agricultural runoff is harmful to rivers because of the use of chemicals for cultivation, which has become the norm today. Any food growing on their banks is laced with heavy toxins and chemicals. Policy interventions should be simple. Governments should have minimum interference upon the lives of individuals. The problem of access to water to rural India can have multiple solutions. So, what is the one simplest solution to this problem? We need to clean up our surface water. The 70 per cent polluted surface water sources which Niti Aayog has identified consist of 13,000 lakes, ponds and wetlands, apart from 35 tributaries of major rivers. Even if we clean-up 13000 water bodies. It will solve only part of the problem. We need to begin somewhere. A ‘Swachh Jal Mission’ should be undertaken within the framework of the Jal Jeevan Mission, which if implemented correctly can clean these 13000 surface water bodies. Installing de-silting machinery and ecological cleaning are the easy ways which we can do it. Critics may argue that we already have similar mechanisms under the Namami Gange scheme launched by the union government and it is not showing many results. This is because the little emphasis is there on the monitoring of this mechanism in the Ganga cleaning mission. Every district should have a Swachh Jal Centre which can use technology to monitor the pollutant levels in the water bodies. Independent audits need to be done to oversee the entire process. An awareness campaign which highlights the importance of clean water bodies in rural areas must be launched. An estimated 15 lakh hectares of water bodies will be cleaned up, and an additional 2.33 crore households will have access to clean water, if this mechanism is adopted. This will benefit 13 per cent households, thus lowering the 82 per cent household without access to around 68 per cent. Some progress, indeed. According to the author’s rough calculations, an amount of Rs 7,000 crore is projected to be spent for 3 years, if this simple mechanism is adopted for 13000 water bodies. This is a small figure compared to what the government intends to spend. Water is the lifeline of our existence. It is not just an economic good, but it has cultural, social and environmental significance. Civilizations are born and destroyed by water. India has a rich culture of preserving water through our step wells and bawlis. Cleaning up water and using it as an economic asset is the need of the hour. As the Sanskrit shloka goes – Prakritih Rakshati Rakshita — Nature protects, if it is protected. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Resolving clean water woes of rural India

Two rescued manatees were released back into the sea off the Florida Keys on Wednesday (May 20) after having been rehabilitated by rescue volunteers.

Rescued manatees released after rehab

Torrential rain brought floods to Indonesia’s capital Jakarta paralysing large parts of the city as rescue workers used boats to navigate streets.

Indonesia's Capital Jakarta could be under water by 2050

Ambrose D’Mello is 52-year-old and has been on a silent protest since 2005. He is protesting against the sale of packaged drinking water. He carries a slate with him to communicate by writing on it using a small piece of a damp cloth. Watch this video to know more about D’Mello's fight.

This 52-year-old man is on a 'Silent Protest' to make 'Big Noise'

The Australian government on Wednesday approved an initiative to kill as many as 10,00 feral camels in an aboriginal region using firearms.

Officials in the remote northwest of south Australia approved the cull, which is set to last for five days, during which marksmen in helicopters will use firearms to shoot and kill the camels.

The country apart from being struck by massive bush fires is also facing severe droughts. The feral camels consume too much water in the drought-hit area.

This decision is bound to be controversial, taking into consideration the estimated half a billion animals perished due to the unprecedented bush fires that continue to be uncontrolled.

Watch:&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/australia-to-kill-up-to-10000-camels-amid-bushfires-273004/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

According to a Facebook post put up by the local administration, the camels were trespassing into properties and trying to drink the water of air conditioner ducts as rising temperatures continue to make the region even more arid.

‘Feral camels breed at such a rate the population doubles every nine years, contributing more greenhouse gases that worsen climate change. One million feral camels emitting one-tonne carbon dioxide per year is the equivalent of having an additional 400,000 cars on the road. With the number continuing to grow as the camel population swells without critically needed management intervention, as is being taken by locals and partners through the development of cull plans’.

The post also seeks federal government to award carbon credits to the region for getting rid of feral animals that were contributing to the emission of greenhouse gases.

Netizens are enraged over the development and have questioned the silence of animal rights groups on the matter so far.

The environment department of the country that has supported this decision. Officials say the drought has created critical animal welfare issues, as camels have died of thirst and often trample on each other to find water.

Australia has experienced its hottest and driest year in 2019, with severe drought causing towns to run out of the water and worsening the raging bush fires.

Interestingly camels were introduced to Australia from India in the 1840s to explore the interiors of the nation. With time Australia became home to the largest wild camel population in the world with over one million of the animals roaming the inland deserts of the vast continental country.

While the culling operation is the biggest in this state in South Australia, countries have in the past resorted to culling the wild for multiple reasons. In 2005 South Africa has used controlled culling as a means of limiting the elephant population in the region.

Draft proposals in 2014 in the United States declared mute swans as prohibited invasive species and outlined plans to eliminate them by 2025. The non-native beautiful swans were believed to be destroying the habitats of native ducks and geese.

In 2016, Finnish authorities had ordered the culling of 20% of the endangered grey wolves.

In 2018, Zambia revived plans to cull 2000 hippos but was forced to cancel plans owing to opposition against the move.

In India, the state of Uttarakhand ordered for the culling of wild boars in 2016 after began venturing outside protected areas. In 2016, Kerala went on a dog culling spree that invited much criticism from animal rights groups. In 2019, the government approved culling of monkeys for a year in Himachal Pradesh, as they were found to be causing a nuisance in non-forest areas.

The Australian government on Wednesday approved an initiative to kill as many as 10,00 feral camels in an aboriginal region using firearms. Officials in the remote northwest of south Australia approved the cull, which is set to last for five days, during which marksmen in helicopters will use firearms to shoot and kill the camels.

The Australian government on Wednesday approved an initiative to kill as many as 10,00 feral camels in an aboriginal region using firearms. Officials in the remote northwest of south Australia approved the cull, which is set to last for five days, during which marksmen in helicopters will use firearms to shoot and kill the camels. The country apart from being struck by massive bush fires is also facing severe droughts. The feral camels consume too much water in the drought-hit area. This decision is bound to be controversial, taking into consideration the estimated half a billion animals perished due to the unprecedented bush fires that continue to be uncontrolled. Watch: According to a Facebook post put up by the local administration, the camels were trespassing into properties and trying to drink the water of air conditioner ducts as rising temperatures continue to make the region even more arid. ‘Feral camels breed at such a rate the population doubles every nine years, contributing more greenhouse gases that worsen climate change. One million feral camels emitting one-tonne carbon dioxide per year is the equivalent of having an additional 400,000 cars on the road. With the number continuing to grow as the camel population swells without critically needed management intervention, as is being taken by locals and partners through the development of cull plans’. The post also seeks federal government to award carbon credits to the region for getting rid of feral animals that were contributing to the emission of greenhouse gases. Netizens are enraged over the development and have questioned the silence of animal rights groups on the matter so far. The environment department of the country that has supported this decision. Officials say the drought has created critical animal welfare issues, as camels have died of thirst and often trample on each other to find water. Australia has experienced its hottest and driest year in 2019, with severe drought causing towns to run out of the water and worsening the raging bush fires. Interestingly camels were introduced to Australia from India in the 1840s to explore the interiors of the nation. With time Australia became home to the largest wild camel population in the world with over one million of the animals roaming the inland deserts of the vast continental country. While the culling operation is the biggest in this state in South Australia, countries have in the past resorted to culling the wild for multiple reasons. In 2005 South Africa has used controlled culling as a means of limiting the elephant population in the region. Draft proposals in 2014 in the United States declared mute swans as prohibited invasive species and outlined plans to eliminate them by 2025. The non-native beautiful swans were believed to be destroying the habitats of native ducks and geese. In 2016, Finnish authorities had ordered the culling of 20% of the endangered grey wolves. In 2018, Zambia revived plans to cull 2000 hippos but was forced to cancel plans owing to opposition against the move. In India, the state of Uttarakhand ordered for the culling of wild boars in 2016 after began venturing outside protected areas. In 2016, Kerala went on a dog culling spree that invited much criticism from animal rights groups. In 2019, the government approved culling of monkeys for a year in Himachal Pradesh, as they were found to be causing a nuisance in non-forest areas.

Australia: Over 10,000 camels to be culled in a bid to save water

The Delhi Government on Friday waived the Development and Infrastructure charge levied on water and sewer connections in the national capital.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that the people will only have to pay Rs 2,310 for a new water or sewer connection.

"Delhi Jal Board has taken some important decision. Whenever new pipelines were installed people did not opt for connection due to high Development and Infrastructure Charges. Later, people used to take the illegal connections and not the formal connection," he told reporters.

"When our government was formed, we used to charge Rs 500 per metre and we reduced to Rs 100 per metre. But we realised the charges are still too high. So, we have decided that Development and Infrastructure Charge for water and sewer will not be charged from today onwards. Now, the citizens will only have to pay Rs 2,310 for a new water or sewer connection irrespective of any plot," Kejriwal said.

He said that the people in large numbers will take water and sewer connections in areas where pipelines have already been laid.

"And people will come under network, so the unaccounted water will be reduced and will come in the mainstream," Kejriwal said.

The Chief Minister outlined that 93 per cent of Delhi is covered with water pipe now. He refused to comment on the water controversy and said, "I don't want to indulge in politics. They don't have anything to with water but to do dirty politics."

"When we formed the government, there were 2300 areas where polluted water was a problem now only 125 areas are," he said.

Kejriwal and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan are at loggerheads after a study conducted by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) said that the water quality in Delhi didn't meet its standards.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The Delhi Government on Friday waived the Development and Infrastructure charge levied on water and sewer connections in the national capital. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that the people will only have to pay Rs 2,310 for a new water or sewer connection.

The Delhi Government on Friday waived the Development and Infrastructure charge levied on water and sewer connections in the national capital. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that the people will only have to pay Rs 2,310 for a new water or sewer connection. "Delhi Jal Board has taken some important decision. Whenever new pipelines were installed people did not opt for connection due to high Development and Infrastructure Charges. Later, people used to take the illegal connections and not the formal connection," he told reporters. "When our government was formed, we used to charge Rs 500 per metre and we reduced to Rs 100 per metre. But we realised the charges are still too high. So, we have decided that Development and Infrastructure Charge for water and sewer will not be charged from today onwards. Now, the citizens will only have to pay Rs 2,310 for a new water or sewer connection irrespective of any plot," Kejriwal said. He said that the people in large numbers will take water and sewer connections in areas where pipelines have already been laid. "And people will come under network, so the unaccounted water will be reduced and will come in the mainstream," Kejriwal said. The Chief Minister outlined that 93 per cent of Delhi is covered with water pipe now. He refused to comment on the water controversy and said, "I don't want to indulge in politics. They don't have anything to with water but to do dirty politics." "When we formed the government, there were 2300 areas where polluted water was a problem now only 125 areas are," he said. Kejriwal and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan are at loggerheads after a study conducted by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) said that the water quality in Delhi didn't meet its standards.

Delhi government waives Development and Infrastructure Charge on water, sewer connections

French prosecutors said Sunday that they had opened an investigation after finding a "significant amount" of cocaine and other drugs on beaches all along the Atlantic coast since last month.

The cocaine is particularly pure and therefore dangerous, according to the prosecutor's office in the western city of Rennes, urging people who come across the packages not to touch them.

"Suspect packages have been found on all beaches... from the Loire Atlantique department down to the Landes department",&nbsp;more than 500 kilometres,&nbsp;the office said in a statement.

A "very significant number" of packages have been found, it said, without detailing the amount.

The Sud-Ouest newspaper reported that two people discovered two packages on the beach at Arcachon, southwest of Bordeaux, on Friday containing a total of three kilograms&nbsp;of cocaine.

It said some of the packages were marked "Diamante" or "Brillante," which were also reported to have washed up in Florida during hurricane Dorian in September.

A source close to the inquiry told AFP that tides started washing up the packages a month ago on beaches stretching from Nantes as far south as the resort town of Biarritz.

French prosecutors said Sunday that they had opened an investigation after finding a "significant amount" of cocaine and other drugs on beaches all along the Atlantic coast since last month.

French prosecutors said Sunday that they had opened an investigation after finding a "significant amount" of cocaine and other drugs on beaches all along the Atlantic coast since last month. The cocaine is particularly pure and therefore dangerous, according to the prosecutor's office in the western city of Rennes, urging people who come across the packages not to touch them. "Suspect packages have been found on all beaches... from the Loire Atlantique department down to the Landes department", more than 500 kilometres, the office said in a statement. A "very significant number" of packages have been found, it said, without detailing the amount. The Sud-Ouest newspaper reported that two people discovered two packages on the beach at Arcachon, southwest of Bordeaux, on Friday containing a total of three kilograms of cocaine. It said some of the packages were marked "Diamante" or "Brillante," which were also reported to have washed up in Florida during hurricane Dorian in September. A source close to the inquiry told AFP that tides started washing up the packages a month ago on beaches stretching from Nantes as far south as the resort town of Biarritz.

France probes drug packages washing up on Atlantic coast

Plastic bottles versus aluminium cans: Who'll win the global water fight?

Floods&nbsp;triggered by torrential <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/imd-predicts-heavy-rainfall-over-bihar-sikkim-252670">rains</a> have inundated houses, swamped&nbsp;roads, and paralysed&nbsp;normal&nbsp;life&nbsp;in&nbsp;India's northern Uttar Pradesh and eastern Bihar states on Sunday (September 29).

Scores of people in Bihar's capital city, Patna were rendered homeless by the&nbsp;floods&nbsp;as water inundated their houses and forced them to wade through waist-deep water with their belongings clenched in their hands.

Watch Video:&nbsp;Floods in India: Parts of Bihar and Eastern Uttar Pradesh face deluge

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At least 17 people have been killed in the region due to flash&nbsp;floods, local media reports said on Saturday (September 28).

Water-logged&nbsp;roads&nbsp;have made emergency services like ambulances inaccessible in the region, owing to which, a man was seen carrying a body on a cart.

An administrative official said rescue forces have been posted to evacuate stranded locals and around 8000-9000 people have been evacuated.

"SDRF (State Disaster Response Force) and NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) teams have been posted here.

Almost 8000-9000 people have been evacuated today since morning," said District Magistrate, Patna, Kumar Ravi.

In the temple city of Varanasi, water-logging affected commuters.

Uttar Pradesh has <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-after-heavy-rains-fish-swim-into-bihar-hospital-icu-155484">witnessed constant rainfall</a> in the recent few days and water from the rain-swollen rivers have reached the low-lying residential areas inundating houses and property.

India's monsoon usually starts retreating at the start of September but has been delayed by a month this year. Intense rainfall in many parts of the country has triggered&nbsp;floods&nbsp;that have swamped cane and rice fields and caused deaths in some cases.

Floods triggered by torrential rains have inundated houses, swamped roads, and paralysed normal life in India's northern Uttar Pradesh and eastern Bihar states on Sunday (September 29).

Floods triggered by torrential rains have inundated houses, swamped roads, and paralysed normal life in India's northern Uttar Pradesh and eastern Bihar states on Sunday (September 29). Scores of people in Bihar's capital city, Patna were rendered homeless by the floods as water inundated their houses and forced them to wade through waist-deep water with their belongings clenched in their hands. Watch Video: Floods in India: Parts of Bihar and Eastern Uttar Pradesh face deluge × At least 17 people have been killed in the region due to flash floods, local media reports said on Saturday (September 28). Water-logged roads have made emergency services like ambulances inaccessible in the region, owing to which, a man was seen carrying a body on a cart. An administrative official said rescue forces have been posted to evacuate stranded locals and around 8000-9000 people have been evacuated. "SDRF (State Disaster Response Force) and NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) teams have been posted here. Almost 8000-9000 people have been evacuated today since morning," said District Magistrate, Patna, Kumar Ravi. In the temple city of Varanasi, water-logging affected commuters. Uttar Pradesh has witnessed constant rainfall in the recent few days and water from the rain-swollen rivers have reached the low-lying residential areas inundating houses and property. India's monsoon usually starts retreating at the start of September but has been delayed by a month this year. Intense rainfall in many parts of the country has triggered floods that have swamped cane and rice fields and caused deaths in some cases.

Floods hamper normal life as floodwater swamps roads in India

At the United Nations, Prime Minister&nbsp;Narendra Modi reiterated his commitment to stop the use of single-use plastic. In a special report, WION's&nbsp;Executive Editor Palki Sharma Upadhyay takes a look at the many ways the United Nations aims to avoid plastic use.&nbsp;

Climate change has been at the forefront of India's agenda at the United Nations General Assembly. The Indian prime minister has taken&nbsp;leadership position on the issue. PM Modi has spoken about sustainable development and climate action in India as well and&nbsp;talked about giving up the use of single-use plastic altogether.

When such conversations begin at the United Nations, it is obvious for a tangible change to reverberate through the UN premises. At the media centre of the United Nations, WION's Palki Sharma Upadhyay saw what could aptly be called the future of packaged drinking water - no more plastic bottles!

No plastic at UN

"At the United Nations, we didn't see plastic water bottles, we came across boxed water, the package read, "boxed water is better". It is sustainable, thoughtful and pure," Palki Sharma Upadhyay reported from New York. &nbsp;

The second option to plastic water bottles that WION came across was called "Ever &amp; Ever" - drinking water packaged in recyclable aluminum bottles.&nbsp;

Ever and ever...

"Thanks to those who recycle, 75 per cent of all aluminum ever produced is still in use. When used properly and recycled, this water may go on to become wind chimes, a flag pole, a filing cabinet, a pin-tie, and the Ever &amp; Ever once again," as mentioned on the product website.&nbsp;

Plastic waste

As per a report published by an environmental watchdog, WorldWatch, in the year 2015, "Some 299 million tons of plastics were produced in 2013, representing a 4 per cent increase over 2012. Recovery and recycling, however, remain insufficient, and millions of tons of plastics end up in landfills and oceans each year".

"According to the United Nations Environmental Program, between 22 percent and 43 percent of the plastic used worldwide is disposed of in landfills, where its resources are wasted, the material takes up valuable space, and it blights communities," the report stated.&nbsp;

Interestingly, there have been many attempts to thwart the growing human dependence on the world of plastic.&nbsp;

Leaf republic

A German startup called the Leaf Republic creates durable, bio-degradable cutlery from waste leaves. The leaf-based cutlery is free from artificial agents and chemicals. The leaves are procured from wild vines of South America and Asia. A single plate comprises three layers, sewn and put together using palm fibres.&nbsp;

The waterproof leaf-based cutlery is washable can be used again. The plates, when discarded, take around a month to get decomposed completely.

Eat your water!

Ooho, 'edible water bottles' were put on trial in April 2017 in London, UK. Tiny balls of water are, in reality, ice dipped in a mix of algae and calcium chloride. The entire ball of water can be gobbled down as it is, the product is completely digestible.

"The aim of Ooho is to provide the convenience of plastic bottles while limiting the environmental impact," Skipping Rocks Lab.

So, the next time you reach out to plastic water bottles, think of the alternatives you already have available in the market.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

At the United Nations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated his commitment to stop the use of single-use plastic. In a special report, WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma Upadhyay takes a look at the many ways the United Nations aims to avoid plastic use.

At the United Nations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated his commitment to stop the use of single-use plastic. In a special report, WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma Upadhyay takes a look at the many ways the United Nations aims to avoid plastic use. Climate change has been at the forefront of India's agenda at the United Nations General Assembly. The Indian prime minister has taken leadership position on the issue. PM Modi has spoken about sustainable development and climate action in India as well and talked about giving up the use of single-use plastic altogether. When such conversations begin at the United Nations, it is obvious for a tangible change to reverberate through the UN premises. At the media centre of the United Nations, WION's Palki Sharma Upadhyay saw what could aptly be called the future of packaged drinking water - no more plastic bottles! No plastic at UN "At the United Nations, we didn't see plastic water bottles, we came across boxed water, the package read, "boxed water is better". It is sustainable, thoughtful and pure," Palki Sharma Upadhyay reported from New York. The second option to plastic water bottles that WION came across was called "Ever & Ever" - drinking water packaged in recyclable aluminum bottles. Ever and ever... "Thanks to those who recycle, 75 per cent of all aluminum ever produced is still in use. When used properly and recycled, this water may go on to become wind chimes, a flag pole, a filing cabinet, a pin-tie, and the Ever & Ever once again," as mentioned on the product website. Plastic waste As per a report published by an environmental watchdog, WorldWatch, in the year 2015, "Some 299 million tons of plastics were produced in 2013, representing a 4 per cent increase over 2012. Recovery and recycling, however, remain insufficient, and millions of tons of plastics end up in landfills and oceans each year". "According to the United Nations Environmental Program, between 22 percent and 43 percent of the plastic used worldwide is disposed of in landfills, where its resources are wasted, the material takes up valuable space, and it blights communities," the report stated. Interestingly, there have been many attempts to thwart the growing human dependence on the world of plastic. Leaf republic A German startup called the Leaf Republic creates durable, bio-degradable cutlery from waste leaves. The leaf-based cutlery is free from artificial agents and chemicals. The leaves are procured from wild vines of South America and Asia. A single plate comprises three layers, sewn and put together using palm fibres. The waterproof leaf-based cutlery is washable can be used again. The plates, when discarded, take around a month to get decomposed completely. Eat your water! Ooho, 'edible water bottles' were put on trial in April 2017 in London, UK. Tiny balls of water are, in reality, ice dipped in a mix of algae and calcium chloride. The entire ball of water can be gobbled down as it is, the product is completely digestible. "The aim of Ooho is to provide the convenience of plastic bottles while limiting the environmental impact," Skipping Rocks Lab. So, the next time you reach out to plastic water bottles, think of the alternatives you already have available in the market.

Watch: At UN, WION explores alternatives to plastic water bottles 

The Supreme Court on Thursday asked high-powered Committee comprising Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra, and Narmada Control Authority to resolve the issue of the rising water-level of Sardar Sarovar Dam, which is leading to submergence of villages.

A Bench headed by Justice NV Ramana said it will hear the matter on October 1.

The court was hearing a plea filed by people affected by submergence in Sardar Sarovar Dam.

The petition deals with the rehabilitation of people due to submergence as well as the water level to be maintained in the Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat.

As many as 178 villages have been affected that caused the human calamity of the worst kind, petition said.

People are affected by submergence in Sardar Sarovar due to direction given by the Narmada Control Authority contrary to Narmada Tribunal`s Award (NWDTA) and earlier judgments of the top court, wherein it is mandated that no submergence should take place without rehabilitation, petition said.

It further stated that Sardar Sarovar being an inter-state project, terms and conditions of the award are binding on the states -Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra.

By February 2017, the complete resettlement and rehabilitation should have been done, but it did not happen and due to the illegal decision, water started rising in the reservoir and was raised to reach the full reservoir level of 138.68 meter on September 2017, plea stated.&nbsp;

The Supreme Court on Thursday asked high-powered Committee comprising Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra, and Narmada Control Authority to resolve the issue of the rising water-level of Sardar Sarovar Dam, which is leading to submergence of villages.

The Supreme Court on Thursday asked high-powered Committee comprising Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra, and Narmada Control Authority to resolve the issue of the rising water-level of Sardar Sarovar Dam, which is leading to submergence of villages. A Bench headed by Justice NV Ramana said it will hear the matter on October 1. The court was hearing a plea filed by people affected by submergence in Sardar Sarovar Dam. The petition deals with the rehabilitation of people due to submergence as well as the water level to be maintained in the Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat. As many as 178 villages have been affected that caused the human calamity of the worst kind, petition said. People are affected by submergence in Sardar Sarovar due to direction given by the Narmada Control Authority contrary to Narmada Tribunal`s Award (NWDTA) and earlier judgments of the top court, wherein it is mandated that no submergence should take place without rehabilitation, petition said. It further stated that Sardar Sarovar being an inter-state project, terms and conditions of the award are binding on the states -Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra. By February 2017, the complete resettlement and rehabilitation should have been done, but it did not happen and due to the illegal decision, water started rising in the reservoir and was raised to reach the full reservoir level of 138.68 meter on September 2017, plea stated.

Supreme Court asks Committee to resolve issue of rising water-level of Sardar Sarovar Dam

Scientists for the first time have detected water in the atmosphere of an Earth-like planet orbiting a distant star, evidence that a key ingredient for life exists beyond our solar system. The newest exciting find involves K2-18 b, a planet about 110 light-years from Earth.&nbsp;

In an interview to WION, lead author of a study at University College London (UCL), Angelos Tsiaras, said the&nbsp;K2-18 b&nbsp;planet is the best candidate to be a habitable place out there and added that life can evolve in different ways.&nbsp;

"Like here on earth, we have the extremophiles, these are kind of life that exist in extreme environments something like volcanoes or very deep in the oceans where humans would not be able to live. Hence it could be possible that other forms of life in the universe evolve in a way that they don't need water, who knows that hence we need to find out!", said Tsiaras.

When asked about the next steps and other factors, besides water that&nbsp;confirm the existence of life, Tsiaras said,&nbsp;"The next step will be the James webspace telescope which will be able to give us a much better spectrum of the planet and also help in finding methane which is a sign of life."

Here is the full excerpt&nbsp;of the conversation-

WION: Why is this discovery of water on the exo-planet significant? Does this mean that life exists in other places in the universe?

Tsiaras: No, we cannot answer this question with the current observation. We can say that this planet from what we know right now is the best candidate to be a habitable place out there in the universe. But to find the science of life or a really habitable planet, we will need much better observations. This will come in the next decades. So, unless we have this big telescopes we cannot say more than the existence of water and the existence of an atmosphere around this planet which has very pleasant temperatures similar to the earth.

WION-What more do we know about this exo-planet? Is it a gas giant or does it have a surface to speak of?

Tsiaras: So, we know that the planet has the density that is similar to Mars or the Moon. This means probably that it has a surface. It is definitely not a gas giant. We know that based on the mass and the radius. But given that we cannot really observe the surface and we cannot say much about the surface itself. I can only think of that.

WION- The exo-planet is said to be in the habitable zone but the dwarf star around which it is orbiting is said to be more active. How does this complicate things for the emergence of life?

Tsiaras: These stars are more active than our sun. But until now there have been many studies that are trying to understand whether this is hostile or not. So for example, this star is not that active as per example some has a temperature around 3,5000 kelvin, so it has an activity and it has some more harmful radiation. But we have not detected any flares so very hostile events. In addition, if you think of an atmosphere that it is bigger than ours, so this is probably working as a better against this radiation.

WION-So what is the next step? What else besides water confirms the existence of life?

Tsiaras: The next step will be the James webspace telescope which is three times bigger than Hubble and will be flying in 2021 very soon. It will be able to give us a much better spectrum of the planet and it is a very interesting one. So I believe that we will try to find methane as a next step. As we know that on earth methane is a sign of life. It is produced because life is here. we don't know if life outside universe is working in the same way. Life in a different place could evolve differently and produce different kind of gases. What we are actually looking at is gases that shouldn't be there. Assuming that we put together a mix of certain elements we expect certain molecules to exist in an atmosphere. If we find something that it is not right and it shouldn't be there it is a sign that it could because, of life, this is what we call as biomarkers. 
Our estimate is not very good. We don't know how much water is there. So the estimate is between 0.01 per cent up to 50 per cent. It's a huge race. We don't know. It could be made out of water. For example here on Earth, mostly the atmosphere is made of Nitrogen. Imagine an atmosphere which is mainly made of water, that would be a completely different atmosphere. We will be able to bring down this estimate with smaller and certainty with future telescopes.

WION-How is the water found on this exoplanet different from the water found on the moons of Jupiter and Saturn?

Tsiaras: So the water in the icy moon is an ocean and it is liquid water. Here we are talking about gaseous water. We don't know if there is indeed liquid water. We know that the planet can support liquid water so presumably, we can say but not sure. In the moon, the water is beneath the surface, it's something different. The moon is covered with ice crusts and water lives beneath that.

Scientists for the first time have detected water in the atmosphere of an Earth-like planet orbiting a distant star, evidence that a key ingredient for life exists beyond our solar system.

Scientists for the first time have detected water in the atmosphere of an Earth-like planet orbiting a distant star, evidence that a key ingredient for life exists beyond our solar system. The newest exciting find involves K2-18 b, a planet about 110 light-years from Earth. In an interview to WION, lead author of a study at University College London (UCL), Angelos Tsiaras, said the K2-18 b planet is the best candidate to be a habitable place out there and added that life can evolve in different ways. "Like here on earth, we have the extremophiles, these are kind of life that exist in extreme environments something like volcanoes or very deep in the oceans where humans would not be able to live. Hence it could be possible that other forms of life in the universe evolve in a way that they don't need water, who knows that hence we need to find out!", said Tsiaras. When asked about the next steps and other factors, besides water that confirm the existence of life, Tsiaras said, "The next step will be the James webspace telescope which will be able to give us a much better spectrum of the planet and also help in finding methane which is a sign of life." Here is the full excerpt of the conversation- WION: Why is this discovery of water on the exo-planet significant? Does this mean that life exists in other places in the universe? Tsiaras: No, we cannot answer this question with the current observation. We can say that this planet from what we know right now is the best candidate to be a habitable place out there in the universe. But to find the science of life or a really habitable planet, we will need much better observations. This will come in the next decades. So, unless we have this big telescopes we cannot say more than the existence of water and the existence of an atmosphere around this planet which has very pleasant temperatures similar to the earth. WION-What more do we know about this exo-planet? Is it a gas giant or does it have a surface to speak of? Tsiaras: So, we know that the planet has the density that is similar to Mars or the Moon. This means probably that it has a surface. It is definitely not a gas giant. We know that based on the mass and the radius. But given that we cannot really observe the surface and we cannot say much about the surface itself. I can only think of that. WION- The exo-planet is said to be in the habitable zone but the dwarf star around which it is orbiting is said to be more active. How does this complicate things for the emergence of life? Tsiaras: These stars are more active than our sun. But until now there have been many studies that are trying to understand whether this is hostile or not. So for example, this star is not that active as per example some has a temperature around 3,5000 kelvin, so it has an activity and it has some more harmful radiation. But we have not detected any flares so very hostile events. In addition, if you think of an atmosphere that it is bigger than ours, so this is probably working as a better against this radiation. WION-So what is the next step? What else besides water confirms the existence of life? Tsiaras: The next step will be the James webspace telescope which is three times bigger than Hubble and will be flying in 2021 very soon. It will be able to give us a much better spectrum of the planet and it is a very interesting one. So I believe that we will try to find methane as a next step. As we know that on earth methane is a sign of life. It is produced because life is here. we don't know if life outside universe is working in the same way. Life in a different place could evolve differently and produce different kind of gases. What we are actually looking at is gases that shouldn't be there. Assuming that we put together a mix of certain elements we expect certain molecules to exist in an atmosphere. If we find something that it is not right and it shouldn't be there it is a sign that it could because, of life, this is what we call as biomarkers. Our estimate is not very good. We don't know how much water is there. So the estimate is between 0.01 per cent up to 50 per cent. It's a huge race. We don't know. It could be made out of water. For example here on Earth, mostly the atmosphere is made of Nitrogen. Imagine an atmosphere which is mainly made of water, that would be a completely different atmosphere. We will be able to bring down this estimate with smaller and certainty with future telescopes. WION-How is the water found on this exoplanet different from the water found on the moons of Jupiter and Saturn? Tsiaras: So the water in the icy moon is an ocean and it is liquid water. Here we are talking about gaseous water. We don't know if there is indeed liquid water. We know that the planet can support liquid water so presumably, we can say but not sure. In the moon, the water is beneath the surface, it's something different. The moon is covered with ice crusts and water lives beneath that.

K2-18 b planet is best candidate for life beyond Earth: Astronomer Tsiaras to WION

Water found on exoplanet K2-18B and the discovery made by hubble telescope.

Your Story: Angelos Tsiaras, Astronomer on water discovered on Exoplanet

1.7 billion people are facing an unthinkable water crisis. Globally, water withdrawal doubled since the 1960s. 44 countries are under high water stress. impacted countries have withdrawn 80% of the available supply of water. Watch this video to know more about this...

Water scarcity all over the world, it's getting terrible day by day

Nearly a quarter of the world's population lives in 17 countries facing extremely high water stress, close to "day zero" conditions when the taps run dry, according to a report released Tuesday.

The World Resources Institute's Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas ranked water stress, drought risk and riverine flood risk using a peer-reviewed methodology.

"Agriculture, industry, and municipalities are drinking up 80 per cent of available surface and groundwater in an average year" in the 17 worst affected countries, WRI said.

"When demand rivals supply, even small dry shocks – which are set to increase due to climate change – can produce dire consequences" such as the recent crises in Cape Town, Sao Paulo and Chennai.&nbsp;

Qatar, Israel, Lebanon, Iran, Jordan, Libya, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Eritrea, UAE, San Marino, Bahrain, India, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Oman and Botswana made up the top 17.

"Water stress is the biggest crisis no one is talking about. Its consequences are in plain sight in the form of food insecurity, conflict and migration, and financial instability," said Andrew Steer, CEO of WRI.

Another 27 countries comprised the "high baseline water stress" list.

The Middle East and North Africa are home to 12 of the most stressed countries, while India, which is ranked 13, has more than three times the population of the other 16 in its category combined.

"The recent water crisis in Chennai gained global attention, but various areas in India are experiencing chronic water stress as well," said Shashi Shekhar, India's former water secretary, adding that the tool could help authorities identify and prioritize risks.

Even countries with low average water stress can have dire hotspots, the report found. While the US ranks a comfortable 71 on the list, the state of New Mexico faces water stress on par with the UAE. 
&nbsp;

Nearly a quarter of the world's population lives in 17 countries facing extremely high water stress, close to "day zero" conditions when the taps run dry, according to a report released Tuesday.

Nearly a quarter of the world's population lives in 17 countries facing extremely high water stress, close to "day zero" conditions when the taps run dry, according to a report released Tuesday. The World Resources Institute's Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas ranked water stress, drought risk and riverine flood risk using a peer-reviewed methodology. "Agriculture, industry, and municipalities are drinking up 80 per cent of available surface and groundwater in an average year" in the 17 worst affected countries, WRI said. "When demand rivals supply, even small dry shocks – which are set to increase due to climate change – can produce dire consequences" such as the recent crises in Cape Town, Sao Paulo and Chennai. Qatar, Israel, Lebanon, Iran, Jordan, Libya, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Eritrea, UAE, San Marino, Bahrain, India, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Oman and Botswana made up the top 17. "Water stress is the biggest crisis no one is talking about. Its consequences are in plain sight in the form of food insecurity, conflict and migration, and financial instability," said Andrew Steer, CEO of WRI. Another 27 countries comprised the "high baseline water stress" list. The Middle East and North Africa are home to 12 of the most stressed countries, while India, which is ranked 13, has more than three times the population of the other 16 in its category combined. "The recent water crisis in Chennai gained global attention, but various areas in India are experiencing chronic water stress as well," said Shashi Shekhar, India's former water secretary, adding that the tool could help authorities identify and prioritize risks. Even countries with low average water stress can have dire hotspots, the report found. While the US ranks a comfortable 71 on the list, the state of New Mexico faces water stress on par with the UAE.

Quarter of world's population facing extreme water stress

Gravitas: Why moon exploration is back in fashion?

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