FRESH WATER CHALLENGES IN KERALA
Keywords:
Climate Change, Fresh water, Groundwater, OverexploitationAbstract
The fresh water crisis is already evident in many parts of India, varying in scale and severity at different times of the year. There is growing concern in Kerala on availability and quality of water and deterioration of fresh water eco-systems due to natural and human activities. Population growth and changing lifestyles have created overuse of fresh water resources. The groundwater level trend during the last decade shows a conspicuous decline indicating more groundwater use in the state during the last decade. The root causes of the water crisis are mismanagement of freshwater resources, poor maintenance of the water distribution system, land reclamation, land use pattern, lack of adequate attention to water conservation, efficiency in water use, water re-use, ground water recharge and wetland conservation. Per capita availability of fresh water is decreasing day by day. Despite the current situation of crisis, indications are that the current trend is not to going to change so easily and Kerala is going to become a water scarce state by 2020.
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