Climate change may bring heavier monsoon but also cause problems

New Delhi, May 20 (UNI) Climate change may lead to India being lashed by heavy monsoon rain with some disastrous side effects like cloudbursts, a recent study has revealed.

Climate change is likely to substantially increase overall monsoon rainfall in the country but it will be poorly distributed in the sense that much of the additional rain will probably be in the form of high-intensity storm events, a World Bank study said.

'India's Water Economy bracing for a turbulent future' indicates that global warming will also ultimately reduce water flow in glacier-fed rivers of the country.

Though existing trend do not indicate any danger of drying up of major rivers in India at present as the union environment ministry is taking up measures for conservation of rivers through pollution abatement works under the National River Conservation Plan.

But it is pointed out that due to the population growth, per capita water availability has been declining over the years.

There are also considerable temporal and spatial variations in water availability across the country.

All this is leading to over-exploitation of ground water in certain areas leading to lowering of water table.

About the efforts to develop and manage water resources, it is stated that various state governments are restoring water bodies, harvesting rainwater, artificially recharging ground water and adopting better management practices.

The central government is providing assistance to states for completing on-going irrigation projects under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme.

Further, a pilot scheme titled 'National Project for Repair, Renovation and Restoration of Water Bodies directly linked to Agriculture' has been approved by the union government in January 2005.

The government is also providing support under centrally sponsored scheme for Command Area Development and Water Management with a view to bridge the gap between irrigation potential created and potential utilised.

The government has also constituted an Advisory Council on Artificial Recharge to Ground Water under the chairmanship of union water resources minister with the aim to popularise the concept.

UNI