Water crisis- Immediate action required.

Nearly all large cities in India are in the grip of a serious water shortage, and it isl ikely to get worse in days ahead. As global warming makes the weather more unpredictable, the water economy of urban India will have to be planned without depending on reservoirs getting routinely filled up by rain every year. The solution to the cities’ water problem has to be sought mostly within the cities themselves by trapping rainwater, saving water and recycling as much of waste water as possible.

May be a part of the solution lies in simply running the water utilities better. Another solution lies in regulating and pricing the exploitation and use of groundwater. If this is not done, then groundwater levels will keep travelling lower and start scripting a disaster in the not too distant future. Water use has to be charged through pricing reflecting long-term sustainable cost. There need be no controversy over whether poor slum-dwellers should be made to pay because they already are, often with money and invariably with their time.

Few good examples cld be, Chennai has now a well-established system of mandatory water harvesting and the Hubli-Dharwad's infrastructure, efficient delivery and recovery of user charges have enabled 24x7 supply of affordable water.

Its time now for other cities to follow and replicate if they cant better it.