Water Crisis in the Hill Cities of Western Himalayas: A Startling Reality

Water is the very basis for the existence of life in earth to the extent that the word life has almost become synonymous to it. But potable water is becoming a scarce resource despite the fact that the overall composition of water is about 70 % of the earth surface as the efforts for salvaging the usable water and using it in a sustainable way is an increasingly troublesome process. Over the years there are several instances of water shortages in various parts of the country, but the most intriguing instance is the water crisis in the Himalayan hill cities despite the fact that it is home to several big glaciers and vast river basins. In the recent years water crisis has been in high proportion in the various Himalayan hill cities. In the Leh district, during the last few years, there are multiple reports of the water shortages during the summer months. There are studies that despite these efforts, the gap between demand and supply of water is likely to double by 2050. Another important aspect is strengthening the governance and planning aspects of local administration for better identification, understanding, adaptation and mitigation efforts. Mountain-specific solutions with consideration for building local knowledge and database for futuristic planning are essential for a better future.