New Delhi, April 14: Maintaining that water management systems have been potential indicators of the existing socio-economic structures and governance mechanisms,
Vice-President Mohammad Hamid Ansari on Wednesday asked those formulating public policies to cater to this essential requirement and ensure sustainability of eco-systems so that there is availability of adequate water for everyone.
He was addressing the “India Water Forum-2011” and the “International Water Convention on Water Security and Climate Change: Challenges and Opportunities”.
He pointed out that India has 2.4 per cent of the world’s area, 16 per cent of the world’s population but only 4 per cent of the total available fresh water. “Our main water resources consist of annual precipitation of around four thousand cubic kilometres and a broad estimate of trans-boundary flows from upper riparian neighbours of around five hundred cubic kilometres,” he noted.
Out of the total precipitation, annual availability from surface and ground water is estimated at 1869 cubic kilometres, he added. Of this only 60 per cent of this at 1,123 cubic kilometres is estimated to be capable of being put to beneficial use, 690 cubic kilometres of which is surface water and 433 cubic kilometres being replenish-able ground water.
——–Agencies