Indian President calls for efficient water use

The Indian President has called on his country to use water more efficiently with the three ‘R’s – reducing, recycling and reusing. Speaking at the second India Water Forum event […]

The Indian President has called on his country to use water more efficiently with the three ‘R’s – reducing, recycling and reusing.

Speaking at the second India Water Forum event in New Delhi, Pranab Mukherjee (pictured, right) said the nation has only 4% of water resources despite being home to 17% of the global population.

“As we grapple with diminishing water resources and escalating water demand, water use efficiency holds great promise,” he is quoted as saying. “The improvement of water use efficiency requires innovative tools of promotion and incentives for efficient water utilisation”, he added.

Mr Mukherjee said water management in the agriculture sector is also crucial for the overall sustainability of the nation’s water resource.

He added: “The 3R strategy of reduce, recycle and reuse has to find application in our farmlands… Our efforts at recycling and reuse of wastewater have to be doubled… Rain water harvesting has to be popularised by dovetailing existing rural development schemes.”

The Government of India had initially set a target to provide water facilities in all urban and rural areas by the end of the decade but due to “financial and other constraints” it reduced it to 90% in urban areas and 85% in rural areas, according to the Ministry of Water Resources.

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