Intro:
• Water stress occurs when demand for water exceeds available amount or when its quality restricts usage.
• Defined by Falkenmark Index: <1,700 m³/capita/year = water stress; <1,000 = scarcity.
• India ranked 13th in global water-stressed countries (WRI, 2019).
Causes of Water Stress in India:
• Over-extraction of groundwater – 80% of rural & 50% of urban demand from aquifers.
• Agricultural overuse – water-intensive crops (e.g., sugarcane in Maharashtra, paddy in Punjab).
• Rapid urbanization – demand-supply gap in metros like Delhi, Bengaluru.
• Climate change & erratic monsoons – altered rainfall patterns, frequent droughts.
• Pollution – industrial, domestic waste rendering sources unusable.
Regional Variation in Water Stress:
• North-Western India (Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan) – overuse for irrigation, low recharge; Red zone in CGWB data.
• Southern Peninsula (Tamil Nadu, Karnataka) – erratic rainfall, seasonal rivers.
• Eastern India (Bihar, WB, Odisha) – better rainfall, groundwater availability, but poor infrastructure.
• North-East – high rainfall, least stressed but underdeveloped infrastructure.
• Urban Centers – Chennai (Day Zero 2019), Bengaluru (NITI Aayog flagged critical stress).
Conclusion:
• Regional water stress reflects geographic, economic, and policy differences.
• Emphasis on demand management, watershed conservation, crop diversification, and efficient irrigation (e.g., PMKSY, Atal Bhujal Yojana) needed.
