**3.1 Agriculture at the center of the crisis**

Agriculture is a major contributor in the country's economy, where out of total available land, 51 per cent is agricultural, 4 per cent is pasture, 21 per cent is forested and 24 per cent is barren. The livelihood of 52 per cent of the country is dependent on agriculture and allied industries. The share of agriculture sector in total water use is more than other sectors. The agriculture sector alone consumes 80 per cent of water resources in India and is responsible for almost 90 per cent of groundwater withdrawals. Tube Wells and canals are the most common modes of irrigation throughout India. These methods have allowed the farmers to conveniently extract water on a large scale and flood their fields with all the water they can get. Subsidy is also provisioned by the government for boring in the fields by the farmers. Massive abstraction of ground water very clearly reflected into drying up in many parts of the country. The problem of water crisis in Bundelkhand, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Karnataka are now very recurrent. At some places, the problem is so severe that the prevailing conditions coerced the farmers to give up farming.

The problem is aggravated by climate unpredictability. Due to the spatial– temporal variation of rainfall most of the country remains rainless and drought prone. North-Western India and the Deccan Plateau are the most affected. Besides, in most parts of the country, more or less dryness is found in winter and summer, so it is difficult to cultivate without irrigation in dry seasons. On the other hand, in areas with sufficient rainfall, such as West Bengal and Bihar, segmental rainfall during the monsoon season creates a drought-like situation, which is harmful to agriculture. The scarcity of water makes irrigation necessary for some crops. For example, rice, sugarcane, jute etc. require a lot of water which is possible only through irrigation. Secondly, regular moisture supply is necessary for high yielding varieties of crops which is again dependent on developed irrigation system. In Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, 85 per cent of the net sown area is under irrigation [18]. Wheat and rice are mainly grown in these states with the help of irrigation. In Punjab, 76 per cent of the net irrigated area and 51 per cent in Haryana, is irrigated by wells and tube wells [19]. In fact, in some states, such as Rajasthan and Maharashtra, the concentration of fluoride in ground water has increased due to excess water withdrawal and this has led to an adverse impact on agriculture as well on human health.

## **3.2 Deteriorated drinking water quality and health concern**

The falling groundwater levels are not the only red flag that we see today. Rather, the issue of quality of drinking water is also a big concern. Approximately 785 million people lack even a basic drinking-water service, including 144 million people who are dependent on surface water [20]. Cases related to water borne diseases like typhoid, cholera and jaundice have been on the rise in recent years in developing nations. Contaminated drinking water is estimated to cause 485 000 diarrhoeal deaths each year [21]. For a developing nation like India, the challenge of supplying clean drinking water is even bigger due to the vastness of the population. What fuels the apprehensions is an unfortunate truth that despite the increased awareness regarding water safety, sheer negligence towards contamination of water bodies does not seem to take a toll. Farmers across India unmindfully carry on with their habit of applying heavy doses of chemicals to ensure a good yield from their crop.

Little do they realize that these very chemicals get washed away and canals and rivers gets contaminated by lethal chemicals. These reservoirs are not only used by humans as a source of drinking water but also by the animals and livestock of that area. As a result, we end up consuming not just unhealthy water, but also unhealthy food, milk, eggs and meat, all grown using the very same toxic water.

#### **3.3 The rising cost of water**

In view of tough situation, an extensive and quite expensive infrastructure is needed to ensure water availability to the common people may it be for digging very deep or supplying water from a long distance to a big city through an extensive pipeline. Although due to the fundamental right of the people to access free water and some political obligations, the tax on water cannot be increased directly. Policy makers around the country face a tight situation in recovering the expenses incurred in the development of infrastructure. Government recovers the expenses either in the form of inflation of other essential commodities or heavy taxes are imposed by the Municipal Corporation. People are expected to pay as the infrastructure development fees. In some states, separate tax provisions have been made for the supply of drinking water and water for other uses. In this way, low- and middle-income families carry most of the load of the mounting expanses indirectly.
