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Rajasthan (Land of Kings) is a place of sand dunes of the Thar Desert, is located on north west India. Rajasthan borders Punjab in the north, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh in the northeast, Madhya Pradesh in the east and Gujrat in the south. On the western side it shares a long stretch of border with the neighboring country, Pakistan. Rajasthan, despite being the largest state of the country (in terms of area) has meagre water resources. Erratic rainfall, depleting water table and a huge livestock make the task of providing potable water, even more challenging, not just the quantity, but also the quality (Fluoride, salinity etc.) of available water. Rajasthan faces one the greatest scarcity of water resources in the country. It has 13.88% of India’s cultivable area, 5.67% of population and around 11% of country’s livestock but it has only 1.16% of surface water and 1.70% of ground water.

Present study describes what are the causes ,along with management of scarcity of water and how it is being faced by the people of Rajsathan (Desert) . inspite of having canals this issue has not resolved and people are facing scarcity of water. In some of the districts water supply is on alternate days in some supply is after two or three days and the quality of water is also not good.

Many researchers have carried out their studies on the similar topic such as Verma R.D. 1985 A case study of the Rajasthan canal, Reddy, V.R. 2010 Water sector performance under scarcity condition: A case study of Rajasthan, India, Sarkar, J. 2018 :Community driven water resources management: A case study in Alwar District, Rajasthan, India,

Singh, C. 2018: The implication of rural perception water scarcity on differential adaptation behaviour in Rajasthan, India.

Major causes of water scarcity:

1. Topography of the state 

2. Climate change

3. Natural calamities such as droughts and floods

4. Increased human consumption of overuse and wastage of water

5. A global rise in fresh water demand

6. Overuse of aquifiers and it’s consequent slow recharge.

According to the "Monsoon Report" 2020 (Rajasthan) by India Meteorological Department, It showed that rainfall fluctuates and follows no pattern because of the global warming and climate change. The impact is even more prominent in a place where the crisis was already looming. The gradual but perpetual decrease ground water level is a big concern and poses a big threat.

The ground water recharge is not at the same rate as discharge, and therefore the ground water level keeps declining every year.

Rural families had farmed their land for generations, but the water crisis poses new challenges. They do not grow any crops during the hot season.They have stopped growing more Wheat and Corn as these crops require more water and they do not have water for irrigation. They have just enough for drinking.

Another challenge springing from it is malnutrition among children. The water crisis is affecting what they eat. 

Traditional rain water harvesting systems

Traditionally rain water harvesting systems which include Johad, Paar, Taanka,Wells, Pokhar, Baori, and bandhs are in a neglected state, so the water from monsoon rains is not collected and is lost through runoff.  A taanka is a traditional rain water harvesting technique common to the Thar Desert region of Rajasthan, India.  It is meant to provide drinking water and water security for a family or a small group of families. Ground water quality in India’s desert state Rajasthan is hit by the simultaneous presence of both human-made pollutants and naturally occurring toxic minerals, a case study has shown. The spoiled ground water is unsafe for drinking without treatment, warn researchers.

Over three- quarters of the sampled wells that provide drinking water contain contaminants such as fluoride, nitrate and uranium at levels that exceed both Indian and World Health Organization (WHO) drinking water norms.

The study also flags concern over a special category of emergent pollutants called disinfection by products which form when the chemicals used to treat water (such as chlorine ) react with naturally -occurring materials in the water to form compound that may pose health risks.

Duke University, India Initiatives, researchers tested 243 ground water wells, across the north west Indian state of Rajasthan, the country’s largest state by area, to probe the presence of multiple contaminants in groundwater.

A combination of geogenic (natural or geologic) and anthropogenic (man-made)

Processes affect groundwater chemistry and quality in Rajasthan.

Man made contaminants such as those that leach out from agriculture and domestic sewage (for example pathogens, nitrates) keep authorities on their toes. The geogenic contaminants such as those coming from aquifier rocks (fluoride and uranium ) can go unnoticed because they are considered natural and their health effects are not immediately detected.

Consumption of drinking water contaminated with uranium can cause chronic Kidney disease and deformity of bones. Additionally fluorosis related to fluoride intake has been reported in Rajasthan.

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forests, and climate change (MoEFCC) has dubbed the problem of groundwater contamination as ‘alarming' in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha, with the control Ground Water Board (CGWB) cautioning against the unacceptable levels of Fluoride, Arsenic, Nitrate and iron ore in ground water in various states.

A special category of emergent pollutants called disinfection by product (DBPs) in treated (chlorinated )water in Rajsthan may pose health risks.

Dissolved organic Carbon (DOC) nitrates, halides in the sampled groundwater that can increase the likelihood of formation of DBPs in waters that are toxicated with chemical disinfectants such as chlorine.

Rajasthan suffers from severe water scarcity issues due to a combination of over exploitation and climate effects. Along with concerns over water availability, endemic water quality issues are also critical that affect the usability of available water and potential human health hazards. Most importantly there are no perennial rivers that can meet the needs of the livestock. In terms of rainfall it gets very little amount of water in a year. This leads to water scarcity and they depend on what ever waste is present in ponds and lakes. Lack of water during harsh summers affects the livelihoods of frameworker and marginalized leading to huge debts due to loss of income. The felling of trees for rapid urbanization and industrialization also causes detrimental climatic effects such as low rainfall and prolonged droughts in the region due to the loss of natural green cover.

The 10 districts that will get affected are Barmer, Bikaner, Churu, Hanumangarh, Jaisalmer, Jhunjhunu, Jodhpur, Nagaur, Sikar and Sriganganagar.

More than 50% of the population has no access to safe drinking water. About 200,000 people die every year for lack of access to safe drinking water. If we continue to consume water as per the current rate, India will have half the water it needs by 2030.

Solutions to water scarcity

Solutions to addressing water shortages include: sustainable water management, Reclaimed water, Pollution control and better sewage treatment, dams and reservoirs, rainwater harvesting, aquaducts, desalination, water reuse, and water conservation.

Developing water filtration systems: It,s one thing to have access to water and its another to have access to water that is safe to drink, Reduce water usage, protecting wetlands, Improving irrigation efficiency, Increasing water storage in reservoirs, Desalinating sea water.

Educate to change consumption and life styles, Invent new water conservation technologies, recycle waste water, Improve irrigation and agricultural practices, proper sanitation.

 Reduction in water pollution:  By using fewer chemicals to clean home, Dispose of waste properly, flush responsibly, Don’t flush trash, Conserve water as much as possible, Avoid using plastic. Don’t use pesticides and herbicides, Replace concrete with ground cover. Pick up litter and throw it away in a garbage can, Blow or sweep fertilizer back onto the grass if it gets onto paved areas, Mulch or compost grass or yard waste, Washing of car or outdoor equipment where it can flow to a gravel or grassy area instead of a street. 

To protect drinking water resources easy things which we can do are: 

Properly dispose of hazardous products, Use and dispose of harmful materials properly, Volunteer in the community, Treating water before it enters the water way system may be the most effective way to reduce water pollution at the source.

Waste water treatment technologies to remove most contaminants through biological, physical, and chemical processes.

Use of alternative water resources (non conventional )such as: Waste water reuse, Rainwater harvesting, Desalination, Preserving water quality etc.

Employing agricultural practices such as planting crops require less water, settling up irrigation without leakages, and developing farm -based water.

Water conservation also depends on changing behaviors by water users.

The water crisis in Rajasthan is rather alarming and needs our quick attention to take control of the situation by creating awareness through education , it is important to educate people about importance of this limited resource and how to use it in a sustainable manner. Use of new green technologies, Treatment and reuse of grey water (released from laundry and showers ), Use of more efficient irrigation techniques will definitely help to overcome the scarcity of most precious thing WATER not only in Rajasthan but on this planet. Major Projects funded by Rajasthan Government to meet the demand of safe drinking water 1. Chambal- Bhilwara water supply project Phase-I, II (Planned in two phases) 2. Shaygarh water supply project District Baran Shaygarh project water supply project for coverage of 46 villages and 16 OH of Baran Gagreen water supply project District Jhalawar. For coverage of 311 villages and 36 OH of Jhalawar District.

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