AP, TS dry up, people still refuse to recycle

Sustainable development is a must for TS, AP

The United Nations has made ‘Sustainable Development’ the key phrase on World Water Day this year. But the theme seems most applicable to TS and neighbouring AP. Drought-like conditions prevail, groundwater has almost dried up and rains could be scanty this year. Also, both governments assume development is the way forward and widespread industrialisation is the only answer.

But a sudden boom in industries and resulting urbanisation could hike the demand for water and experts fear this could add pressure on a resource that’s already creating much tension — given how the two neighbouring states recently fought over Krishna water. In fact, the agenda of ‘development’ threatens to destabilise the entire region. Eminent environmentalist Prof. K. Purushotham Reddy says the governments have never really defined what development is. “Both CMs have visited Singapore and are now so influenced by the city-nation. Singapore is not sustainable, per se, so what have they understood about the city?” “How can they bypass all laws and then claim single-window clearances within two or three weeks?” he asks.

A case in point is how water is used for agriculture in the country, and more specifically, in TS. In its report titled, Water and a Sustainable World, the UN illustrates how number of borewells rose from just 10 lakh in 1960 to 1.90 crore in 2010. The spike in groundwater use in India has been the steepest so far, worldwide.

Studies have also shown that despite total rainfall reducing only marginally, inflows into lakes such as Himayatsagar and Osmansagar, have been reducing. Simply put, the water we have is not increasing but the demand for it is.

And experts from the region add that people here dislike using recycled water even for the smallest of purposes. “The mindset of Indians is that we want to use drinking water for all purposes. Industries should begin using recycled water from Sewage Treatment Plants. Treated water can be used for purposes such as cleaning, cooling and so on,” says Dr Syeda Azeem Unnisa, assistant professor, Regional Centre for Urban and Environmental Studies at Osmania University.

“Reservoirs need to be increased in numbers. Also, rainwater harvesting has to be encouraged among industries in a big way”, Dr Unnisa says. But along with sustainable development, the need of the hour, experts say, is the preparation of a comprehensive water policy — something that has eluded India for a long time.