Ensuring Clean Water Accessibility and Mitigating Water Induced Disasters— Contributing Towards Sustainable Development Goals

By : R.B. Singh

Page No: 323-331

Abstract
India has occupied 4 per cent of fresh water resources, 2.4 per cent of total geographical areas and 17 per cent population in the world. This imbalance further results into crisis in securing water to its rapidly growing population. Situation of water resource degradation is complex in India. There are huge potential of water resources, which are facing the challenges in the form of conflicts arising out of poverty, population growth and careless application of technology together with water induced disasters. Development activities should be implemented but not at the cost of degradation of the water. Water environment sustainability should be achieved through afforestation for the soil moisture, restore the natural water storage sites like wetlands, lakes and ponds, etc., linking rivers of water surplus and water deficit areas within states, selection and growing of the crop according the availability of water in the area, installation of more and more treatment plant for recycling of waste water and proper mechanism for the treatment of disposable industrial waste and wastewater reuse. This paper aims at identifying critical issues, challenges and innovative solution in order to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 6, that is, Clean Water and Sanitation.

Author :
R.B. Singh : Vice President, International Geographical Union and ICSU Scientific Committee Member, Department of Geography, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi, Delhi.