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Yugrishi Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya in his earthly lifetime itself predicted and cautioned us about the problem of water scarcity and the related issues of future. We can hear his voice of caution in his audio and video lectures. In that context, he said that Mother Nature, which is nurturing all living beings on Earth like the celestial cow Kamadhenu, will assume the fiery form of angry lion and commence the process of destruction. Hence natural disasters will keep occurring and will continue until man stops polluting this environment with his poisonous thoughts and actions. We can clearly see how what he foretold almost three decades ago is turning into a reality.

Our country is facing the fury of natural disasters like many others across the globe. Very often, some or the other region gets affected by drought, famine, floods or epidemic. Earthquakes have also got added to this list. Some regions of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh constantly face conditions of drought and famine every year. But when fertile lands of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand did not receive rainfall last year, it was a cause of serious concern. The dark shadow of lack of water is spreading fast. In spite of our country being surrounded by sea on three sides and bestowed with innumerable rivers and lakes, water crisis is looming large. According to the studies of American organization ‘World Watch’, groundwater level is receding by 1-3 m every year in India.

The water level in wells, dams, lakes and rivers in the country has drastically gone down. There is struggle for water in the cities. Animals are struggling to find fodder and water. Farmers are getting disheartened. The merry songs of monsoons have become extinct. If we do not have good monsoon this year, crops will be seriously affected. Seeing their crops dying, their investment vanishing and family suffering, it will not be a surprise if farmers resort to still higher number of suicides.

Scientists have also expressed concern over the changes observed in Himalayan regions. The changes in water and air and increased atmospheric temperatures are not being perceived as normal conditions. Geologists working in the Himalayan regions for more than two decades suspect that a frequent drought cycle has been kick started in the Himalayas. Renowned geologist Simon Klemperer predicts that the temperature of the Himalayas will increase further in the next 50 years. This will cause drought or uncontrollable rains. With these changes set in motion, neither will the water stay on the Himalayas nor will snow accumulate due to melting glaciers.

The geophysical scientists believe that melting of glaciers, snowfall and heavy rains are the initial signs of a very serious drought cycle. This can bring in changes in the behavior of monsoons. Dr. Rasmus C. Thiede from Potsdam University in Germany has studied the interaction between climate and tectonics of the Himalayas. He says that there is lot of geological activity there right now. Every year Indian plate is moving 2 cm deeper in the Himalayas. These findings are indicative of new changes that can come in the external and internal portions of the Himalayas. The initial readings indicate that the summer monsoons can be significantly lower.

In addition to this fact, it has to be realized that agriculture has a big part to play in the economics of our country. While the government wants to take our economic system on the path of progress as soon as possible, there does not seem to be any strategy on how to deal with natural disasters. It is the flawed priorities of policy makers and lack of vision that the condition of drought has reached its present state. Recently, the High Court of Uttar Pradesh had taken a detailed look at this serious problem and advised the government to consult with experts and apply suitable technologies to ensure that nobody lacks water and electricity.

Who has taken heed of these warnings? It can only be said that in spite of many regions suffering from drought, the states have not done anything to ensure water supply, fodder for animals, making seeds available to the farmers, or fixing up a minimum wage in the event of crop failure. So, all of us have to come together and think of what needs to be done to handle the catastrophe. We have to embark on the important task of recharging the water table and methods for collecting water. We have to understand the value of each drop of water. We can solve the drought condition by managing our water resources better. Everyone has to understand this fact and come forward to work on these lines. To succeed, we not only need the participation of the government but also the involvement of the people. All forms of media should play an important role in spreading this message. Water conservation should also find place in the syllabi of schools and colleges.

In many other countries, the amount of water available per person is much less than that in India. But there is not as much hue and cry in those countries as it is here. Israel has presented a great example in this context. Dearth of water has made Israel the foremost leader in water conservation, whereas Indians have not learnt the value of water because of which they are suffering from the lack of it.

In this era of materialistic glamor, even the villages have stopped using age-old and effective traditional methods of water conservation. Such methods of water collection in the form of lakes, tanks and streams have been lost due to using up those lands for farming. If we look at statistics obtained through monitoring done by Central Ground Water Board, the situation of Uttar Pradesh is the scariest. For the past 12 years, water table is receding more than 25ft every year in the big districts of U. P. like Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi, Agra, Meerut and dozens of others. If no practical steps towards proper water utilization are taken in the state, the situation can go from bad to worse.

According to the master plan for artificial recharge prepared by Central Ground Water Board, daily per capita availability of groundwater in India in 1951was 14,180 liters which reduced to 5120 liters in 2001. Considering the current rate of population growth and the depletion of groundwater, it is projected that the daily per capita availability in the year 2025 will be 3670 liters (which is just 25% of the base year). The above master plan said: ‘Rapid development and use of groundwater resources for varied purposes have contributed, though, in the expansion of irrigated agriculture, overall economic development and in improving the quality of life in urban India, the groundwater, which is the source for more than 85% of rural domestic water requirements, 50% of urban water requirements and over 50% of irrigation requirements of the country, is depleting fast.’

Considering the predicament we are in, we must learn how we can survive in such situations. The traditional knowledge in India teaches us how to survive not just a year of famine but up to five years. The dry lands of Rajasthan and Gujarat never have an incidence of suicide during famine till date. The traditional techniques of preserving fodder are safe there. Farming based on greed and quick gains has cast a shadow on these methods. The conclusion is that people should tune their lifestyles according to the average rainfall received in their regions. Then neither floods nor famine can seriously affect us.

During times of less rainfall, instead of water-guzzling crops like sugarcane and paddy, we should opt for those that require less water. Pulses and oil crops should be sown because they require less water. If there is a specific requirement for crops that require water, choose seeds that ripen in lesser time. Use gardening along with farming. Agricultural experts advise to bear in mind both climate and soil conditions before choosing the crop cycles. Change in food habits can also help to some extent. Include those foods in diet that are seasonal and appropriate to the region.

We have everything. Crops that require less water, traditional life style, knowledge, forest lands, perennial rivers, millions of lakes and thousands of rivers. Ganga basin alone is spread across 86,140 sq. km and is capable of providing water to 47% farmlands and 37% of population. If we are able to use these resources efficiently, then there would never be an occasion to be distressed in drought. On paper, there is no dearth of statistics, project orders and blue prints. If all that is on paper is converted into ground reality, there would be no cause for worry at all. But this is not the case. Therefore, we should educate everyone about the value of water and its conservation.

To stay calm even in drought, two things have to be borne in mind – reuse of water and conserving each drop of water. If we properly purify used water and bring it to use again, then average water consumption in industries and homes can be brought down by 60-70%. Recharge pit is a simple way of sending used water again to the womb of Earth. This can be practically done in each house in the village.

Whatever projects are undertaken for drought relief, geographical and natural aspects of the country should definitely be considered. It would be good if farmers are consulted while designing these projects. This is lacking presently and hence the projects that are taken up are worsening the situation than bettering it. Indian farming is getting largely influenced by foreign techniques. It would be better if we use our traditional farming knowledge and put its techniques to use. Indian perspective, Indian school of thought, the experience, tradition, knowledge and research have been buried. We have to rejuvenate them all over again. What can be more shameful for us entering the 21 st century and celebrating it as cyber era while millions of men and women are dying of thirst?

Our parijans should come forward to educate others by practice about importance of water conservation. Let’s take the example of Gujarat. Mansukh Bhai Subagia and Madhur Savani from Gujarat have practically educated 100 villages of Junagarh, Bhavnagar, Amreli, Jamnagar and Rajkot to become self-sufficient in terms of water. On Subagia’s advice, the people of Badiyabad village constructed 12 check dams in two channels at the expense of Rs. 1.5 lakh and were able to collect water that can irrigate 300 acres out of their 2000 acre land with just one rain. Similarly, Madhur Savani of Soyal village in Bhavnagar district of Gujarat worked with other people and constructed 210 dams in nearby rain channels. In spite of less than average rains, the water is overflowing there. Similar projects have been executed in Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh. ‘Tarun Bharat Sangh’ is particularly active in conserving rain water in Alwar district of Rajasthan.

It is our turn now. All of us should strive collectively. We have to communicate to people that the small and traditional constructions and techniques will be the ones that will again restore water self-sufficiency that we have lost in the last 3 decades. Educating villagers about water management is as important as teaching them about cottage industries and bringing right price for their products. If Gayatri Pariwar members take an active role in their respective areas, then we can not only prevent migration of people from villages to towns but also stop suicides of farmers. This will be the best tribute to Param Poojya Gurudev, whose 26 th Nirvan Divas is falling on 15 th June. Monsoon is just round the corner; let’s all collectively pray to Mother Nature to bestow the best of rains to our villages and towns and the country at large. With prayer-filled wishes to all our readers on Gayatri Jayanti / Ganga Dussera,

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