NBT Conclave: Minister Swatantra Dev red flags water scarcity in UP, calls for conservation measures

Time of India

11 hours ago

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Lucknow: Jal shakti minister Swatantra Dev Singh has raised an alarm over Uttar Pradesh's critical water situation, revealing that the state has sufficient water security for only three months annually.
"Declining groundwater levels, shrinking water bodies and increasing dependence on over-extraction are pushing the state towards a serious water crisis. Even major rivers like the Rapti and Ganga, once considered perennial sources, are no longer dependable throughout the year," he said while speaking at 'Bhujal Suraksha, Bhavishya ki Raksha', organised jointly by Navbharat Times and UP groundwater department on Friday.
Singh said while rivers like Chambal bring up to 20 lakh cusecs of water the Rapti barely carries 3,400 cusecs now.
"In districts like Varanasi, we sometimes struggle to supply drinking water from the Ganga during the dry season," he added.
He also pointed out the increasing risks from climate misalignments—when floods from Ganga and Ghaghara coincide, they create dangerous flood patterns; if they arrive out of sync, parts of the state face drought.
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"The delicate balance is now being disturbed by human actions and lack of planning," Singh said.
The minister lamented that thousands of ponds and lakes, once the backbone of rural water conservation, have either been encroached upon or turned into drains.
"Earlier, every village had a pond where animals and people bathed. Today, many of those ponds have been filled up or polluted beyond use," he said, urging the revival of these water bodies.
He stressed the need to reduce everyday water wastage, especially of bottled water in weddings and public events.
"If every person saves even a single bottle daily, the collective impact would be huge," he said, encouraging the use of refillable water bottles during travel.
The govt, Singh said, is actively working on water budgeting and security plans and has launched projects in nearly 70% of the state's development blocks.
Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, groundwater is being tapped for household supply, but he warned this will not be sustainable without proper recharge and conservation.
Technologies like drip irrigation, remote sensing and rainwater harvesting are being promoted, Singh said adding that public participation was the key.
"Just as Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the Swachh Bharat Mission by setting an example, water conservation must also become a public movement," he said.
Calling water, the foundation of life and civilisation, Singh said its protection is a scientific, ethical and social responsibility.
"We need every citizen—farmers, students, teachers, engineers—to become water warriors," Singh said.
He concluded by expressing confidence that under PM Narendra Modi's leadership, India would not become a victim of a global water crisis but emerge as a leader in sustainable water management.
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