Case study

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
Lesson 3: Water resources

Case study

Due to Sardar Sarovar project, about 245 villages will be submerged together in Gujarat and M.P. Bodhghat project on Indravati River in M.P. will destroy teak and sal forests, and spell doom for the last surviving wild buffaloes. Due to Narmada valley project 13,744 hectares of forest and 11,318 hectares of cultivated land will be sub-merged and 150,000 people will be displaced. Similarly Koel Karo project in Bihar and Tehri dam in U.P. will be displacing lakhs of people.

Water disputes
Jordan River basin water is shared by Israel, Syria, Jordon and Lebanon. Nile river water is shared by Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Burindi, Uganda, and Tanzania. India and Bangladesh had disputes due to construction of barrage across Ganges on Hoogly. Maharashtra, Karnataka and A.P. had disputes due to Krishna river water.

Water is a key resource in all economic activities ranging from agriculture to industry. Water is available in two forms i.e. surface water and round water. Changes in climate at a global level had lead to floods and droughts. Desertification and famine are the two major problems arise due to drought. Demand of water is increasing day by day and widening the gap between demand and supply. Construction of dams is taken up to ensure a year round water supply but they also waste large quantities of water due to evaporation and through seepage into porous bed rocks. Water logging and salinity are arising due to the construction of dams. Another serious problem is the displacement of population to a larger extent especially tribes from the homeland and their eventual influx into urban areas, almost as refugees.

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Last modified: Wednesday, 28 December 2011, 8:00 AM