THE GIST of Editorial for UPSC Exams : 03 March 2020 [Water crisis looms large in Himalayan regions, finds study (The Hindu)]

Water crisis looms large in Himalayan regions, finds study (The Hindu)

Mains Paper 1: Geography
Prelims level: Hindu Kush
Mains level: Geographical features and their location- changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies).

Context:

• Eight towns in the Himalayan region of Bangladesh, Nepal, India and Pakistan were nearly 20%-70% deficient in their water supply, says a survey that appears in the latest edition of the journal Water Policy.
• The researchers surveyed 13 towns across these countries to understand the challenges of the urban denizens of these regions.
• Unplanned urbanization and climate change are the key factors responsible for the state of affairs, the study underlines.

Need to be taken short-term strategies:

• The places surveyed are extremely dependent on springs (ranging between 50% and 100%) for their water, and three-fourths were in urban areas.
• Under current trends, the demand-supply gap may double by 2050, the researchers warn.
• Communities were coping through short-term strategies such as groundwater extraction, which is proving to be unsustainable. A holistic water management approach that includes springshed management and planned adaptation is therefore paramount.
• Across the region, the encroachment and degradation of natural water bodies (springs, ponds, lakes, canals, and rivers) and the growing disappearance of traditional water systems (stone spouts, wells, and local water tanks) are evident.

Way ahead:

• Although only 3% of the total Hindu Kush Himalayan population lives in larger cities and 8% in smaller towns, projections show that over 50% of the population will be living in cities by 2050, placing “tremendous stress” on water availability.
• Rural areas have typically garnered much of the attention in terms of development and issues surrounding urban environments have been “sidelined”.

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Prelims Questions:

Q1. With reference to the India- Myanmar relations, consider the following statements:
1. Both countries recently signed a MoU for Cooperation on Combating Timber Trafficking, and Conservation of Tigers and other Wildlife.
2. India is constructing the Integrated Check Post in Tamu, Myanmar.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: C
Mains Questions:
Q1. Describe the key highlight of the report flags rising dependence on freshwater springs. What are the measures needed to be taken regarding this?