india

Updated: Jun 26, 2019 07:51 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said addressing water scarcity in the country was one of the key areas of focus for his government.

“We have taken water shortage seriously and established a Jal Shakti Ministry. [Socialist leader Ram Manohar] Lohia ji once said that the biggest problem women face is toilets and water. Toilets are being built on a war footing,” said Modi in his speech during the Motion of Thanks on the Presidential address to Parliament.

Modi added that people of Rajasthan and Gujarat are more acutely aware of water scarcity. He said people will have to take up water accumulation to prevent worsening of the crisis. “We have to save water. By doing this, we can save lives of ordinary human beings. By eliminating the crisis of water, we can give great support to the poor,” said Modi.

More than half of India is facing drought-like conditions, the India Meteorological Department ’s latest data shows millions have been struggling for drinking water. Lakes have dried up and groundwater levels, too, are depleting amid a sluggish monsoon, which has also impacted the sowing of key summer crops.

According to IMD, the monsoon was 39% deficient till June 22 despite marginal improvement over the last week. Most districts in east, central and peninsular India are facing “extremely dry” conditions, as per the Standard Precipitation Index (SPI) that shows the observed rainfall amount compared with the rainfall climatology at a certain place over a longterm reference period.

Earlier in Lok Sabha, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam lawmaker Dayanidhi Maran raised the issue of severe drought situation in Chennai. He said water levels were below 1% in the city’s four reservoirs. Maran added the pre-monsoon rain was the lowest in the last 65 years and 43.4% of India’s population was hit because of it. He accused Tamil Nadu’s All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government of complacency. Maran cited a report of government think tank NITI Aayog saying 21 cities including Chennai, Bengaluru and Delhi will run out of groundwater by 2020.

National People’s Party (NPP)’s lone member Agatha Sangma said that states should devise water policies since it is a state subject. She added that the NPP government in Meghalaya is coming up with such a policy. Sangma added that the Namami Gange Programme for the Ganga’s conversation should include the Brahmaputra

Sudhakar Tukaram Shrangare, Bharatiya Janata Party’s Lok Sabha member from Maharashtra’s Latur, said villages in his constituency had no water for 10 days at a stretch. Over 21 villages were severely affected in his constituency, he said.