In India, there is an unending list of activities being undertaken by business houses and industries towards the fulfillment of their social responsibility while every individual also keeps doing some act of charity on his own.
There is no argument on the fact that water is one of the most essential natural resource needed by all living beings on earth. There is no denying of the fact that ground water levels are fast declining.
Rain water harvesting if done properly, is the most sustainable long lasting and beneficial act which can be done for the society at large.
We at SILVERON consider rain water harvesting as the ultimate Corporate Social Responsibility and charity which any individuals as well as corporates can do. In rain water harvesting, the harvester does not know who shall be the beneficiary and the beneficiaries do not know whose action has benefited them. This is why we consider Rainwater Harvesting as the ultimate charity.
We wish that all individuals and industries commit to make more rain water harvesting structures each year. These will add on to the already existing structures and hence each year the quantum of water recharged will keep increasing and a time will come when the recharge quantum will match the water withdrawal quantum and this will lead to the arrest of the decline in ground water table. The subsequent year may see improvement in ground water levels and increased quantum of available water.
The water situation in India has already reached an alarming level and we are already late for taking remedial action. It high time the Government spell out loudly to the people about the crisis and how it plans to deal with it. There is no time to play hide and seek on this subject and those in authority must stop trying short term remedies to manage the water crisis by transporting water from one location to the other. We have seen enough of water trains on the rail tracks and water tankers on the roads.
The water policy has to be re-looked into and redesigned. Who takes responsibility for water crisis – State or Central Government? Who takes responsibility for remedial planning? Who takes exclusive responsibility of formulating rules and ensuring monitoring of implementation?
Existing policies like, in a notified area the government will not give permission to anybody to dig a fresh tube well irrespective of all the Rainwater Harvesting efforts and structures he makes in that area while those who already have old operative running tube wells are permitted to continue to draw water even if they have done no effort to harvest rain water.
What difference will it make on the load on ground water if one person who can withdraw water starts selling water to the person who does not have permission to withdraw water?
With this regulation in place, who will make rain water harvesting efforts in notified area? Who will deposit money in that bank from which withdrawal is not permitted? This policy will surely squeeze every notified area dry and make it uninhabitable and lead to exodus of residents. The shifting population will generate additional load on the ground water resource of that area where they go.
Ultimately, will the situation drive us back to the same river banks from where our early civilization started?
Sincere Rainwater Harvesting effort is the only solution in hand which can help reverse the ground water shortage and declining water table issue. It is the need of the hour that all stake holders act immediately and that too on a large scale.
It is time for the government to motivate people and industries to go for rain water harvesting projects by giving them subsidy and tax exemption for all rain water harvesting works they do.