Water Problems

Half of global food production at risk due to water crisis, shows report

The water crisis could jeopardize more than half of the world's food production and cause an average global GDP loss of 8 per cent by 2050, with lower-income countries facing up to a 15 per cent loss, according to a new report. The report by the Global Commission on the Economics of Water, an international group of leaders and experts, said that weak economic systems, destructive land use, and the persistent mismanagement of water resources, combined with the worsening climate crisis, have placed the global water cycle under unprecedented stress. "The water crisis threatens more than half of the world's food production by 2050 and could cause an 8 per cent loss of GDP in countries globally, with losses as high as 15 per cent in lower-income nations, alongside even larger economic consequences," the commission said. Nearly three billion people and over half of the world's food production are located in areas experiencing drying or unstable trends in water availability. Several cities

Tapping wastewater: Govt floats 50% reuse mandate for bulk users by 2031

50% reuse target for new bulk users and 25% for existing bulk users after FY31

Atishi directs CS to resolve sewer overflow issue in parts of Delhi

She highlighted that the sewer water is contaminating the drinking water which can lead to a serious health crisis

India, Israel join hands for new water technology centre at IIT Madras

India and Israel have joined hands for the establishment of a new water technology centre at IIT-Madras, which is expected to serve as a "key contributor" to India's efforts to achieve sustainable water supply for all. The Embassy of Israel in India in its statement termed the deal a "significant milestone" in the ongoing collaboration between the two countries in the field of integrated water resource management. A Joint Statement of Intent was signed to establish a Center of Water Technology at the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. "This tripartite agreement, signed by the Embassy of Israel, IIT Madras, and the AMRUT mission of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, reflects a shared commitment to address the critical challenges of water management in India," it said. The Center of Water Technology aims to become a hub for innovation, research, and capacity-building in water technologies, particularly focusing on sustainable solutions for urban water supply.

Triathlon cancels Olympic swim training for 2nd day over poor water quality

The water quality in the Seine River remained a concern Monday as officials called off the swimming portion of an Olympic triathlon training session for a second straight day. Event organizers overseeing the event at the Paris Games are optimistic that triathletes will be able to swim in the city's famed waterway when the competition starts on Tuesday. The sport's governing body World Triathlon and its medical team, along with city officials, are banking on sunny weather and higher temperatures over the course of the next 36 hours to improve the water quality and bring it below the necessary limits to stage the swim portion of a race that also includes biking and running. World Triathlon made the decision to cancel the swim workout early Monday following a meeting over water quality. The representatives for Paris 2024 and triathlon's international federation said tests conducted in the Seine on Sunday showed water quality levels leading into the training session that did not provide

Four killed in rains, floods as remnants of Typhoon Gaemi lash south China

Meteorological experts said the combination of a weather system from the typhoon, which has been downgraded, and a southwest monsoon has created conditions for heavy rain and high-humidity

DM asked to ascertain cause of coaching centre flooding: Delhi CS to Atishi

The central district magistrate has been directed to ascertain the cause of coaching centre flooding incident and fix the responsibility of the people concerned, Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar on Monday submitted in his report Revenue Minister Atishi. Earlier in the day, the minister had flagged delay in submission of the magisterial inquiry report on the Old Rajinder Nagar coaching centre incident in a note to Kumar and had asked him to submit it by 10 pm. The chief secretary, in its report, has stated that the District Magistrate (Central) will submit his detailed report regarding the incident in some time. Three IAS aspirants -- Shreya Yadav from Uttar Pradesh, Tanya Soni from Telangana and Nevin Dalwin from Kerala -- died after the basement of a building housing Rau's IAS Study Circle coaching institute was flooded following rain on Saturday evening. The interim report was provided by additional chief secretary but since the road concerned with the incident belongs to the M

Coaching centre deaths: Students demand accountability, safety measures

The deaths of three civil services aspirants at a coaching institute here have sparked outrage among students and demand for accountability from the Delhi government. Shreya Yadav of Ambedkar Nagar in Uttar Pradesh, Tanya Soni from Telangana, and Navin Dalwin from Ernakulam in Kerala died after the basement of the building housing the coaching centre Rao's IAS Study Circlewas flooded following heavy rain in central Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar area on Saturday evening, officials said. Students of Rao's IAS Study Circle and other institutes have expressed voiced their anger over the incident, highlighted safety violations at coaching centres across the city, and raised questions over the "negligence" of the Delhi government. Students held a protest and raised slogans against authorities outside the coaching centre over the deaths in the basement, which according to preliminary probe houses a library. "The biggest responsibility of the incident lies with Rao IAS Study Circle as the ...

Water released from Odisha's Hirakud Dam, high alert in downstream areas

With the Hirakud Dam authorities releasing the season's first flood water in the river Mahanadi, the Odisha government on Sunday asked collectors of seven downstream districts to be on high alert and tell people not to go near the riverbank, officials said. After customary puja, the dam authorities opened sluice gate number seven followed by others. A total of 20 gates will be opened in three phases 7 gates at 9.30 am, another 7 at 12.30 pm and the remaining 6 gates at 2.30 pm, to flush out excess water amid heavy rainfall in the upper catchment areas and the inflow of water into the reservoir. The water level of Hirakud stood at 616.93 ft against its full reservoir capacity of 630 feet, at 6 am. While the inflow of water into the reservoir was 3,16,000 cusec, the outflow was 40,126 cusec. The state government in a release said that due to the opening of 20 gates, the Khairmal discharge would be around 4.50 lakh cusecs by 8 am on July 29 and the Mundali discharge will be around 5 .

Ban on plying small boats in UP due to rising water level of Ganges river

Although rains have subsided over the last couple of weeks, water from the mountains is now slowly starting to show effects in the plains.

Assam flood situation improves as water recedes, 350K remain affected

The flood situation in Assam improved on Thursday with water receding from several parts of the state even as over 3.5 lakh people in 11 districts remained affected, an official bulletin said on Thursday. Major rivers, including the Brahmaputra river, continued to flow over the danger level at various places, it said. Altogether 3,55,400 people continued to reel under the deluge in Cachar, Dhemaji, Dhubri, Dibrugarh, Goalpara, Golaghat, Kamrup Metropolitan, Karimganj, Nagaon, Nalbari and Sivasgar districts. Dhubri remained the worst hit with nearly 80,000 affected people, followed by Nagaon (77,500) and Cachar (72,000). The number of affected people was over 4.04 lakh in 12 districts on Tuesday. The toll in this year's flood, lightning and storm in Assam was 113, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority said in the bulletin. Nearly 13,000 people have taken shelter in 66 relief camps, while another 19 relief distribution centres are catering to over 11,000 people. Cropland o

Over 90 fall ill after consuming contaminated water in Maharashtra village

Ninety three persons have suffered from stomach infections after apparently consuming contaminated water from a well at a village in Maharashtra's Nanded district, officials said on Monday. The Mugaon Tanda village, where the incident took place, has 107 houses with a population of 440, as per the officials. Ninety three persons approached a local health centre on June 26 and 27 with complaints of abdominal pain and loose motions, district health officer Balaji Shinde told PTI. While 56 patients were treated in the Mugaon Tanda village, 37 others were referred to a primary health centre in neighbouring Manjaram village and later discharged, he said. A team of doctors was stationed in the Mugaon Tanda village, the official said. "We conducted a survey and the possible source of infection was a well from where water is supplied to the villagers. The well has been sealed and water from a nearby filter plant is being made available to the villagers," he said.

Delhi water crisis: Long queues continue to form at tankers across city

Amid soaring temperatures, these scenes have become a daily occurrence in the national capital in many areas since the start of the summer

Atishi urges Haryana government to urgently release water in Yamuna river

Delhi Water Minister Atishi on Monday visited the Wazirabad barrage and appealed to the Haryana government to release water in the Yamuna river. Atishi said the Wazirabad barrage gets water from Haryana which goes to the water treatment plants of Chandrawal, Okhla and Wazirabad. "If no water is received, how will the water treatment plants work? We appeal to Haryana that the people in Delhi are worried and they should release water in Yamuna river, she added.

Major crisis in Delhi imminent if adequate water not released, says Atishi

Delhi Water Minister Atishi Sunday wrote to Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, requesting him to ensure 1,050 cusecs water is released from the Munak Canal for the national capital, otherwise "Delhi will have a major crisis in next 1-2 days". In the communication, she said seven Water Treatment Plants (WTPs) in Delhi are dependent on supply from Yamuna and "due to the deficit of raw water, our water treatment plants are unable to run at their optimum capacity." Delhi is supposed to receive around 1,050 cusec water at Munak, but the supply has reduced, she said. "With the water from Munak Canal reducing to 840 cusecs, Delhi will be unable to produce adequate water from our seven WTPs." "If Haryana doesn't release the adequate amount of water by today, Delhi will have a major crisis in next 1-2 days. Therefore, I humbly request you to ensure that 1,050 cusecs water is released from Munak Canal for Delhi," she added. According to the agreement in the the 53rd meeting of the Upp

Haryana withholding Delhi's 1,050 cusecs of water via Munak canal: Atishi

Delhi Water Minister Atishi on Friday accused the Haryana government of reducing water flow to the national capital in the last three days. Her remarks come a day after the Supreme Court directed the Himachal Pradesh government to release 137 cusecs of surplus water to the national capital, and asked Haryana to facilitate its flow. The apex court also said there should be no politics over water. Delhi has been grappling with water crisis this summer. "....Hon'ble Supreme Court is trying to resolve Delhi's water crisis, but Haryana is conspiring against the people of Delhi.While the case was being heard in Supreme Court, Haryana has been steadily reducing the water being released to Delhi in the last 3 days...." Atishi said on X. The minister will visit the Wazirabad barrage at 11 am to assess the water situation.

Tackle depleting ground water, low investment in research in 'Amritkaal'

The country needs to do more innovations and bring the power of scale to small and marginal farmers

India's most innovative cities including Bengaluru run out of water

Tech professionals are leaving India's IT hub of Bengaluru amid an intensifying drought that has gripped the city as it sweats through another torrid pre-monsoon season

World Water Day 2024: All about the importance of water in our lives

World Water Day is marked every year on March 22. Water plays a crucial role in our lives from drinking to cooking, water is a natural resource that is irreplaceable in our daily routine

Treated water to be filled in Bengaluru lakes to replenish groundwater

Civic authorities in Bengaluru have decided to fill the drying lakes with 1,300 million litres per day of treated water to replenish groundwater sources in the city, where about 50 per cent of the borewells have dried up. Aimed at managing the water crisis in Bengaluru, the civic body Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) will also install filter borewells and construct water plants using an innovative technology near the restored lake beds to supply water after testing, BWSSB officials said. This initiative has been taken up in association with Indian Institute of Science (IISc), BWSSB Chairman Ram Prasath Manohar said, adding that this is expected to add about 2030 MLD of water into the system. The Irrigation Department is supplying water in Devanahalli, where the Kempegowda International Airport is located, by treating the water from the Kote lake with a similar initiative. As part of the plan, lakes in Bellandur, Varthur, Nayandahalli, Herohalli, Attur and Jakkur wi