The water is concentrated at the Earth’s surface so Earth is known as the “Blue Planet” because 71 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered with water. Water also exists below land surface and as water vapour in the air. Water is vital for all known forms of life, even though it provides no calories or organic nutrients.It is one of the most essential resource on earth and is the only substance occurring naturally in all three states (solid, liquid, gas) on the Earth’s surface. The chemical formula for water is H20 which is interpreted as 2 hydrogen atoms and oxygen in a ratio 2:1. All plants and animals must need water to survive. There is no life on earth without water and life almost certainly originated in water. From conception to birth, a child is natured in a sac of water (amniotic) fluid) which protects and cushions the foetus against physical harm. The birth of a child is heralded by the “breaking of waters” after a child is fed on breast-milk which is 90% water (Nagin, 2008). We waste water needlessly and don’t realize that clean water is a very limited resource. More than 1 billion people around the world have no access to safe, clean drinking water, and over 2.5 billion do not have adequate sanitation service. Over 2 million people die each year because of unsafe water and most of them are children. The significance of water is discussed under the following headings:-
(A) Water And Health: Water carries nutrients to all cells in our body and oxygen to our brain. It allows the body to absorb and assimilate minerals, vitamins, amino acids, glucose and other substances. Water flushes out toxins, waste and it helps to regulate body temperature. Water is a main component of saliva which also includes small amounts of electrolytes, mucus, and enzymes. It’s essential for breaking down solid food and keeping our mouth healthy. Our body generally produces enough saliva with regular fluid intake. However, our saliva production may decrease as a result of age or certain medications or therapies so generally it is suggested to increase intake water level. Water consumption helps lubricate and cushion our joints, spinal cord, and tissues. This will help us to enjoy physical activity and lessen discomfort caused by conditions like arthritis. It has been reported that drinking enough water can help in preventing certain ailments like constipation, kidney stones, exercise-induced asthma, urinary tract infection and hypertension. From outer space, the earth looks like a blue planet because most of its surface is covered by water. But only 2.5% of that water is fresh, and most of that lies frozen and inaccessible in the icecaps and Greenland, leaving less than 1% of fresh water accessible in lakes, river channels and underground. Hydrologists estimate that the average annual flow of all the world’s fresh water ranges from 35000 Km3 to 50 000 Km3. Due to a mix of geographical, environmental and financial factors, as well as to increased pollution from municipal and industrial waste, the leaching of fertilizers and pesticides used in agriculture, only about one-third of the world’s potential fresh water can be used for human needs. As pollution increases, the amount of usable water decreases. Water contributes much to health. Good health is the essence of development. However water’s protective role is largely unseen and taken for granted in the wealthier countries. More attention is paid to its role in disease transmission than health protection. Water contributes to health directly within households through food and nutrition, and indirectly as a means of maintaining a healthy, diverse environment. These two precious resources water and health together could enhance prospects for development.
(b) Water collecting categories:
- Surface water: This is water which falls to the ground as rain or hail. This water is collected from a special area called a catchment. The catchment feeds water into a holding area via rivers, streams and creeks. The water is then stored in a natural or artificial (manmade) barrier called a dam or reservoir. Water is reserved naturally or artificially as in the form of
- Springs: These are found where underground water flows out of the ground naturally without the use of bores, wells or pumps. Springs often occur towards the bottom of a hill or on sloping ground. (ii) Rock catchment areas and rock holes: Sometimes large rocky outcrops contain low areas in which water is trapped. These low areas make good natural dams. Often a wall can be built to increase the amount of trapped water.
- Excavated dams: Excavated dams are made by scooping out soil to make a large shallow hole. These dams are sometimes placed at the bottom of a slope to aid water collection. However, this can only be done in areas where the soil will not allow the water to drain away very easily through the ground. For example, in clay soils. If a community wants a dam in an area where the soil is not impervious this can still be done by digging the hole and lining it with clay or an impervious liner, such as concrete or heavy plastic. Excavated dams are often used by farmers to supply water to stock.
- Rainwater Tanks: The rainwater which falls on the roofs of houses is often collected using roof guttering leading through a pipe to a storage tank.
- Artesian Bores: Sometimes when a bore is sunk into a low lying area the water gushes out of the hole under its own pressure. This water is under pressure because it is part of an underground body of water much of which is at a higher level than the bore opening. This kind of bore is called an artesian bore. A water supply taken directly from a bore or well is often called groundwater.
(c) Water Management: To Reduce Health Risks: The transmission of disease is also rife among vulnerable communities because they live in environments receptive to the breeding of insect vectors that carry parasites such as malaria, filaria and trypanosomes. Most of these need water for part of their life-cycle. 300 million people suffer from malaria and in sub-Saharan Africa alone malaria kills an estimated 1 million people per year, the large majority are children under five. However, the ability to treat the disease effectively is being jeopardised as a result of growing problems of drug resistance and counterfeit drugs, while the use of mosquito nets meets with problems of affordability and social acceptability. Water management, which is key to this approach, should be based on a proper assessment and understanding of local vector ecology.
Everyone among us is obligated to pay his or her role in order to meet our duty as protecting the environment, as right to clean environment is embodied and enshrined in Article 21 of our Constitution. So in order to be law abiding citizens we have to contribute towards clean environment which is not only our fundamental right but also our fundamental duty. Let’s pledge for clean environment.
Many poor farmers in semi-arid areas may be dependent for their agricultural water supply on a small number of rich land-owners who can invest in the drilling of bore-holes. In the rice-growing areas of Tamil Nadu in southern India, such situations are not uncommon. Dependency on water provided by one rich farmer may create discrepancies between the time water can be purchased and the cropping cycle. Rice fields may thus be flooded for weeks and become important breeding places for Culex mosquitoes which can transmit Japanese encephalitis. Outbreaks of the disease kill at least 20% of people suffering clinical symptoms – mainly children. Twenty per cent of survivors are left with permanent damage to their central nervous system. Growing water shortages for irrigation may contribute to the alleviation of the Japanese encephalitis problem. As farmers have to manage irrigation water as an increasingly scarce resource, the promotion of alternate wetting and drying practices of rice fields will contribute to a reduction in the vector population and, thus, in the risk of outbreaks. The treatment of wastewater often is a haphazard affair. In developing regions of the world, treatment is applied in only a minority of systems. Even in the industrialized countries of North America and Europe, for example, sewage is not universally treated. Problems of unsafe water and inadequate sanitation systems are most acute in developing countries. Although in a smaller proportion, people in industrialized countries also get sick from contaminated water and untreated sewage. Despite the fact that developed countries normally have the means to deal with these problems, they often don’t for reasons of complacency, lack of political will, cost and so on. Public pressure to remedy serious health and environmental problems may be instrumental in initiating change. The conservation and preservation of natural resources is one of the most pressing issues of the world today. Worldwide for water management authorities with the combined effects of a growing population and increased water consumption, management of existing resources has become a critical issue. (Gregory & Di Lio 2003: 1262). Although the technical and economic success of the 21st century has improved standards of living, simultaneously it has also placed a heavy burden on our natural environment (Iyer & Kashyap 2007: 32). The emerging scarcity of water is pertinent in discussions related to sustainability of the present form of economic development , sustained water supply, equity and social justice, water financing, pricing , governance and management (Shaban & Sharma 2007: 2190). The escalating demand on potable water resources resulting from increasing populations, droughts and unpredictable weather patterns due to climate change is commonplace in many parts of the world (Willis et. al. 2011: 1996). Experts predict that one of the main environmental challenges faced by humanity in the 21st century is the problem of scarcity and poor quality of water for human consumption (Corral-Verdugo et. al. 2002: 247). Studies reveal that although climate change is a key consumer issue with 59% of consumers worldwide, this is not reflected in consumer behavior (Rettie et. al. 2013: 9). In Kashmir we have three sources of water, which include springs, river and underground water. All these water resources in Kashmir show declining of water quantity. As per official sources total water requirement for Kashmir valley is around 12 crore gallons per day, which includes seven crore gallons in the urban areas and five crore in rural areas. Almost all the water supply schemes in both urban and rural Kashmir are affected in one or the other way. Environmental condition is deteriorating due to wastage of water, pollution, encroachment of water bodies and hill slopes. The World Water Day (WWD) celebrated on 22 March every year since 1993, provides an opportunity to learn more about water and its centrality in our lives and for the environment, and promote sustainable behaviours and actions towards this precious resource. The day is used to advocate for the sustainable management. World Water Day is celebrated around the world with a variety of events. World Water Day, on 22 March every year, is about focusing attention on the importance of water and every year, on Water Day, a theme is designated by the United Nations to give direction to the celebrations. This year’s theme is “Glacier Preservation”, highlighting the importance of preserving glaciers as a crucial source of freshwater. The first World Water Dayan international observance day was designated by the United Nations in 1993. The aim of celebrating this day is to inspire people around the world to learn more about water-related issues and to take action to make a difference. Right now, we are seriously off-track to meet Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)6-water and sanitation for all by 2030. Worldwide billions of people and countless schools, businesses, healthcare centres, farms and factories don’t have the safe water and toilets they need. To accelerate change, we need more action. It is an important opportunity to educate ourselves and our communities about this most vital of all resources, explore ways to conserve it and protect the waters of our glaciers, rivers, lakes, oceans and streams. It’s a chance to address the issue of helping those without access to clean drinking water. As climate change impacts increase, and the global population grows, we must unite around protecting and conserving our most precious resource. By working together to balance everyone’s human rights and needs, water can be a stabilizing force and a catalyst for sustainable development. World Water Day is a United Nations (UN) observance coordinated by UN-Water. Every year, it raises awareness of a major water-related issue and inspires action to tackle the water and sanitation crisis. Let’s come together on this day to make a difference and prioritize glacier preservation. Everyone among us is obligated to pay his or her role in order to meet our duty as protecting the environment, as right to clean environment is embodied and enshrined in Article 21 of our Constitution. So in order to be law abiding citizens we have to contribute towards clean environment which is not only our fundamental right but also our fundamental duty. Let’s pledge for clean environment.
(Dr Bilal A Bhat is Professor Statistics at S K University Of Agriculture Sciences & Technology-SKUAST Kashmir Shalimar Srinagar and Naziya Fayaz a Research Scholar at Law Department Kashmir University, Srinagar. The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”)
