The Aakhya Weekly #101 | Navigating the Extremes of Urban Waters in India
In Focus: Urban Water Woes- The Flipside of the Coin
by Yashvika Malhan
India boasts numerous thriving urban hubs, represented by towering skyscrapers, expansive flyovers, and state-of-the-art infrastructure. Yet, this urban prosperity conceals a stark paradox. As the mercury rises, citizens are left awaiting the trickle of water in their homes amid the scorching heat. Come monsoon, these very urban localities are converted into rivers, inundated with water. How do cities grapple with both extremes simultaneously? A 2020 report by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) projects that 30 Indian cities will face a ‘grave water risk’ by 2050. The crux of the problem isn't simply the availability of water but its management and distribution, often outpaced by rapid urbanisation in cities like Delhi-NCR and Bangalore.
Tapped Out Cities
Water shortages are a recurring issue, manifesting more critically during summers, especially with peak heat waves. Delhi relies on water from the Yamuna River, frequently entangled in disputes over water sharing during periods of high demand. To address this year’s scarcity, the Supreme Court has instructed upstream states to release extra water into the Yamuna, providing some relief to Delhites. Despite this, the city heavily relies on groundwater, with extraction increasing significantly from 86 MGD in 2020 to 135 MGD in 2024. Over 41% of Delhi is classified as "over-exploited" by the Central Ground Water Board due to unsustainable groundwater extraction practices. The city’s water demand has escalated to 1,290 MGD, while the supply lags at 935 to 1,000 MGD, edging closer to a “Day Zero” scenario.
Bengaluru's situation is equally dire, experiencing a critical water crisis in March this year. Groundwater caters to nearly half of the city’s water needs, while the rest is provided by Cauvery water at an estimated daily pumping cost of Rs 3 crore. The city's reservoirs remain at a critical low of 26% capacity due to last year's monsoon deficit. Government data shows that all Bengaluru urban groundwater assessment units are overexploited. A WELL Labs report indicates that current real losses from water supply pipelines stand at 448 MLD, directly recharging groundwater. Urban expansion has further depleted groundwater levels, especially in newly developed areas that depend on borewells.
When It Rains, Floods Follow
The bustling metropolises are no strangers to the perils of urban flooding. A mere drizzle can escalate into a crisis, laying bare the cities' struggles with water management.
In 2022, India’s IT hub, Bengaluru, saw urban floods following a torrential downpour, with damages surpassing Rs 225 crores. The city was drenched with 132 mm of rain within a single day on September 5. The intensification of monsoon patterns, a byproduct of climate change, has magnified the city's susceptibility to floods. Once celebrated as the "City of Lakes," Bengaluru has seen its aquatic expanses dwindle due to unchecked urban sprawl and the encroachment of wetlands and floodplains. The reclamation of lakes for development has severed the natural network of water bodies in the Bangalore district, heightening the risk of flooding even during average rainfall. This disruption of natural water channels has amplified the city's flooding woes during periods of heavy precipitation.
Delhi's ordeal mirrors that of Bengaluru. The capital city found itself submerged for days last year. The genesis of Delhi's flooding often originates in upstream regions like Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, where relentless rains swell the waters downstream at the Hathnikund Barrage in Haryana. The subsequent discharge of water elevates the Yamuna River's levels as it courses through Delhi. The city's deficient drainage systems and choked sewage networks aggravate the situation, leading to waterlogging even under moderate rainfall. Urban development in Delhi has been scrutinized for its disregard of floodplain norms, permitting construction of structures like the Akshardham Temple and the Commonwealth Games Village in areas prone to flooding. The drainage system remains ill-equipped to handle the increased frequency and intensity of storms, worsened by climate change.
Floating Towards Resilient Cities
The relentless expansion of cities, often unchecked, has contributed to severe urban water crises, as seen in Delhi and Bengaluru. These crises serve as a warning of the consequences of unregulated urban growth. The Ministry of Jal Shakti has initiated the Jal Jeevan Mission focusing on ensuring household water availability through tap connections. While the Atal Bhoojal Yojana, India's ambitious groundwater management program, aims to address severe groundwater depletion, its focus is more on rural areas. Additionally, the central government has called for the creation of water body inventories to prevent encroachment. Yet, effective water management largely falls on state authorities, who need to navigate a complex governance landscape with dispersed responsibilities. In Bengaluru, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board manages piped water, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike and Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development Authority oversee surface water bodies, and the Groundwater Authority handles groundwater, all working in silos.
Historically, urban development has lacked a strategic approach. Even Delhi's Master Plan 2040, deemed effective, does not adequately address water issues, offering only ambiguous strategies without concrete objectives. This lack of clarity hinders efforts to reduce reliance on external water sources and prioritize initiatives like rainwater harvesting and wastewater reuse. A paradigm shift towards decentralized urban water and wastewater systems is essential. This shift involves restructuring and empowering water utilities and boards to effectively map aquifers for recharge, discharge, and the reuse of treated wastewater. Transitioning from a linear to a circular water management model, leveraging data-driven methods, and engaging a broad range of stakeholders are critical components for sustainable urban water management. Before proceeding with further development, it is crucial to assess the region's carrying capacity. Bengaluru, for instance, must avoid expanding its administrative boundaries without first ensuring sufficient water supply capacity. Additionally, maintaining a minimum amount of green cover to keep the landscape porous and implementing regular desilting of lakes for their rejuvenation are highly recommended measures.
Rather than resorting to knee-jerk reactions, institutions must clearly define the challenges and develop long-term, sustainable solutions that are properly executed. Given the abundance of available studies, urban planning must incorporate climate change considerations to alleviate the strain on existing resources. By recognizing water scarcity and urban flooding as interconnected challenges, we can devise integrated solutions that address both issues in tandem. With the implementation of sustainable policies and active community involvement, our cities can aspire to meet their water needs and remain resilient against the tides of change.
Top Stories of the Week
Insights into Modi 3.0 Cabinet Allocations
On June 10th, the portfolios for the council of ministers were announced during a cabinet meeting, a day after PM Modi was sworn in for a third term. Out of the 71 cabinet ministers who took oath, 30 were inducted as Union Ministers, 5 were given independent charges, and 36 took oath as Ministers of State (MoS).
Maintaining a sense of continuity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi retained his trusted core of ministers. Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nirmala Sitharaman, and S. Jaishankar will continue to lead the crucial ministries of Home Affairs, Defence, Finance, and External Affairs, respectively. Together, they constitute the vital Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by the Prime Minister himself. BJP has also left key infrastructure ministries unchanged. Nitin Gadkari will continue to oversee Road Transport and Highways, Sarbananda Sonowal will retain Shipping and Ports, and Ashwini Vaishnaw will remain in charge of Railways, along with Information Technology and Information and Broadcasting.
Nine new members from allied parties have been welcomed into the council, including Ram Mohan Naidu as the Aviation Minister and H.D. Kumaraswamy as Minister of Heavy Industry and Steel. Other than these portfolios, most of the strategic ones have been retained by BJP.
The portfolio allocations affirm policy continuity in the Modi 3.0 administration. Despite expectations of BJP's allies securing crucial ministries and potentially disrupting Modi's economic agenda, the current distribution indicates stability. This ensures that Modi's economic policies and initiatives will proceed without major changes or slowdowns. Modi 3.0 is likely to focus on economic growth, taxation, infrastructure development, digital innovation, and governance improvement. The July Union Budget is anticipated to be a major event, with many important announcements expected.
FSSAI Cracks Down on ‘100% fruit Juice’ Misrepresentation
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a significant directive mandating all Food Business Operators (FBOs) to remove any claim of ‘100% fruit juices’ from all labels and advertisement of reconstituted fruit juices with immediate effect. FBOs have also been instructed to exhaust all existing pre-printed packaging material before 1st September, 2024. This directive comes in response to concerns raised by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare regarding the inaccurate marketing of such products.
Under the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, FSSAI states that there exists no provision allowing for the claim of ‘100 percent fruit’ content in reconstituted juices. FBOs are reminded of their obligation to follow established fruit juice standards. These assertions are misleading, especially when the main component of the fruit juice is water and the key ingredient is only present in small amounts. This is also true when the fruit juice is made by reconstituting water with fruit concentrates or pulp. These are outlined in sub-regulation 2.3.6 of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards & Food Additives) Regulation, 2011. This regulation ensures clear labelling by requiring all products to comply with the Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020.
Furthermore, FSSAI emphasised the importance of clearly indicating the term "reconstituted" in the ingredients list of such juices, enhancing consumer awareness and understanding of product composition. Additionally, to address concerns regarding excessive sweetening, products exceeding 15 gm/kg of added nutritive sweeteners must be labelled as 'sweetened juice', providing consumers with vital information regarding nutritional content.
A Few Good Reads
Arkoprabho Hazra writes about the Chabahar deal as a sign of India’s assertive foreign policy under S. Jaishankar
C Raja Mohan writes on the importance of PM Modi’s first trip abroad in his third term and chance to reboot relations with the G7
N.Vijay Jagannathan writes on the importance of water accounting tracks and water balance in agriculture
Aparna Divya writes on the delicate balance Saudi Arabia maintains to nurture its long and short term benefits from both US and China
Monami Gogoi writes on reason for agriculture sector in India still remaining static in a ‘60s-70s’mindset
