G L Khajuria
Through it may seem strange,but it is too true that our planet accommodates three quarters of its geographical area with water. However, this water is likely to become a cause of conflict. BoutronsGhali- the then U N Secretary General over the past many years had very aptly warned “Further problems relating to water issues will be very much alarming and”Wars over Water” shall be the impending catastrophe. And so were the predicaments of ‘Kofi Annan’- the secretary General of UNO long back 1995, ” Ismael Serageldin”, vice president, World Bank has rightfully opinioned’, “If the wars of this century were causative of oil, the wars for incoming century shall be fought over water”.
Water scarcity and that too in its purity has now become a buzz-word and perhaps looming large around the world. It is such naïve to forecast this impending grave scenario for which the environmentalists and the scientists around the world are awfully worried about at this crucial juncture. They undoubtedly emphasized and predicted the ever-growing water scarcity and global warming, a threat to “Ozone Layer’s” puncturing. In a situation like this, nothing can be estimated in the existing world scenario if we look into the matter very closely and seriously. And strange enough are the ways of God-not all predictable face to face with meteorological studies which don’t corroborate with the climate changes which we are witnessing in today’s world scenario.
And now of the late, the Indian meteorologists are awfully worried about squandering significance of EL- Nino in the Monsoonal Forecasting. In Fact, year 2002 was drought-ridden despite EL-Nino being very weak. As per the latest meteorological predictions, the scientists from the “Indian institute Of Science”, Bangalore have ‘de facto’ identified a strong association between a previously unknown currents of wind vis-a-vis extreme monsoon events et.al. The studies made through ‘ Satellite imageries” and data collected spanning 1979-2002, the scientists have come to the conclusion that the equatorial Indian ocean Oscillations’ (EQUINOO)- the east west wind current blowing over Indian Ocean is playing a pertinent part in determining the rainfall, as is with ELMINO. In the year 2002, the ever worst drought was experienced by the country and for the last around 125 years, EQUINO was not in favor with Monsoons.
It is awfully astonishing that Egypt in African continent is wholly solely dependent on river “Nile” for its day to day needs which has most recently threatened “Ethiopia” with “war threatening if the latter tried to divert water from Blue Nile. And so is the Case with “suez”where water scarcity is ever-escalating. The environmentalists and scientists around the world claim the truth that the Israeli-Palestinian” dispute occurs from sharing of water and so is the situation with Iraq and Syria. A per reports by the year end 2020, as many as 20 countries of these areas shall be badly inflicted. This is as per the findings of US based reports.
Now coming to heavily populated cities of the world like Mexico, Beijing , Buenos, Aries, Dhaka and so on whose sole dependency is on ground water whereas water level is sinking down due to global warming. UNESCO’S report says that in ” South-Asia” water level is sinking by about 3 meters or so each years. Is it not calamitous? And who owes the onus? Surely, with oozing confidence, Man himself!!
Global warming, off-shooting from ever-mounting population, urbanization. Industrial effluence, CFC emissions and multihued manifestations are in togetherness claiming climatic changes as we are witnessing in the prevailing scenario which blame for over 1,50,000 deaths year around where the poor underprivileged are more subjected to. The increase in the deaths estimated by WHO is a tiny fraction of 56 million reported annually around the globe for all reasons and the WHO has further warned that by 2030, death toll shall rise to 3,00,000 deaths annually.
“Global warming” has another dreadful impact over the bio-sustaining life on land seas which is retronaturing the pristine climate conditions. Not only that this warming is thinning the “Ozone Layer”-the only natural shield which provide protection to bio-diversity. And God forbid, If it is punctured, there shall be holocaustic consequences for all men, its flora and fauna which will become subject to the most dreaded diseases like cancer and the like, the planktons decimation, so to say this may char or burn to cinder all living being over this bio sustaining globe.
Surprisingly enough as per latest findings, the global average temperature has been witnessed one degree per hundred year over the last century but for the last quarter of the century till 2003, an abrupt rise of 2-3 degree has been noticed. This signal of apocalyptic nature which all nations of world must take care of. European scientists have thus warned Greenland’s icy mountains and the islands entire Ice Cap is under the risk of disappearance in the next 1000 thousand years or so because of global warming. And so with greater Himalayas where the glaciers are melting as elsewhere. This will further lead to submergence of the coastal regions and islands too.
Recently a US researcher has suggested that west Antarctica ice sheet has been melting and constantly contributing water to the ocean for the last ten years. And if such melting goes on at such a pace, an area around 3, 60,000sq. miles shall disappear within a period of seven hundred years or so.
This is a world-wide scenario and nearing home the situation is yet too alarming. Here the problem is accruing from sharing of water of Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra. The problem is basically arising out in the three adjoining states viz. Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. Whereas the resolution passed by the Punjab assembly has alarmingly stirred the issue especially in-so-far as Rajasthan is concerned which evokes interstate sharing of waters. In other way around, this has threatened several million people of desert ridden state which gets its water from the ‘Indra Gandhi Canal’. ” Indus River Water Treaty” in its clear terms gives unambiguously right to use the water of Ravi, Beas and Satluj rivers to Rajasthan for irrigational purposes in their arid lands. In the late eighties, the then premier of India, Indra Gandhi had worked out sharing of Ravi, Beas, Satluj waters but ironically Rajasthan has not received its share of 8.6 MAF water.
Anyhow, for the best survival of mankind over this bio-sustaining globe, it is utmostly pertinent to face the apprehending challenges of “Wars Over Water. The entire world therefore, should under one umbrella make workable strategies for sustainable management and development to avert the impending catastrophe accruing thereof.
(The author is former DCF)
feedbackexcelsior@gmail.com
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