| Demand of the question Introduction. Contextual Introduction. Body. Reasons and issues of frequent droughts and floods. How better infrastructure can help in preventing droughts and flood? Conclusion. Way forward. |
In the last two years, there have been devastating floods in Bihar, Brahmaputra plains in Assam and West Bengal, urban flooding in Chennai and erratic flooding during monsoons in central India. On the other hand, failure of monsoons (both South-west and North-east) for consecutive seasons in many parts of India has resulted in severe drought conditions. The following is a detailed analysis of the same.
Issue of droughts and floods in India and various reasons:
- Geographic variations: India receives a variety of rainfall patterns in different parts of the country. Thus it is not surprising to see one part of the country is facing the destruction of floods while the other part stays drought-ridden.
- Monsoonal delay: Drought is often caused by delayed onset of monsoon or early withdrawal of the monsoon. However, the diminishing ground water level as increased the frequency of the disaster.
- Mismanagement of water resources: India receive this water for roughly two months a year whereas water is a necessity of life for all 12 months of a year. The rainwater as a water resource is not properly managed.
- Deforestation: The deforestation is the major factor for the fact that the catchment area is gradually being reduced in size. More and more rainwater is running off instead of percolating into the soil and contributing to the groundwater.
- Groundwater exploitation: Groundwater is exploited at a vigorous pace in India. The low groundwater level leads to drought on the one hand whereas the run-off water brings flooding on the other.
- Silted rivers: The imminent cause of the flooding is the incapacity of river banks to hold water. This is further catalysed by the silting and erosion of river beds.
- Urbanisation: Urbanization has been achieved at the expense of natural water bodies. It is a worldwide phenomenon. The cities like Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad in India are habituated by filling dozens of small lakes and ponds.
How better infrastructure can help in preventing droughts and flood?
- Better infrastructure helps in replenishment of groundwater which is the most fundamental requirement towards dealing with the larger issues of droughts and floods.
- Trees are known to have good water holding capacity. The catchment area should be rich with forests. It allows the water to trickle down into the soil which replenishes groundwater and also the minimal amount of run-off water will also prevent floods.
- Urbanisation need to be carefully planned. Planned urbanisation and water management infrastructure helps in reducing wastage of water and allow better utilisation of water in a planned manner.
From scientific hydrology to traditional methods of water conservation, innovation in the field of water management is long overdue. Money should be pumped into ecological researches and mass scale debates need to be conducted on possible solutions such as pan India inter-linkage of river bodies and lakes.
