BE WISE I N WATER USE

It is hard to believe that with four per cent of water resources in the world, India has become a water- stressed nation (“Water stress”, March 16- 31, 2014). The graphs and tables used in the story were a simple yet powerful way of showing the reasons behind the water crisis in the country. Irrigation and domestic purposes usually require groundwater, which, according to the Planning Commission, is fast depleting. We need to look for alternative sources of water, such as rainwater harvesting. This is an easy and effective way of collecting, storing and using rainwater for irrigation. On the other hand, the lack of clean drinking water can be attributed to water pollution caused by household and industrial waste. The water crisis is real and is staring us in the face. The time to act is now. MUKTIPADA DAS Kolkata