WATER SCARCITY: A MAJOR CONCERN FOR CITIZENS

Water is one of the most essential element for survival for all forms of life. Almost 71% of the earth's surface is covered by water. But inspite of the large amount of water present on the surface of the earth only 3% of the total water available is fresh water. Out of this 3%, only 0.4% usable and drinkable water is available to us which is to be shared by 7.7 billion inhabitants. Due to unequal water distribution naturally, we see very wet and very dry geographic regions across the globe. The increase in freshwater demand in the recent years due to industrialization and human needs is leading to water scarcity. There are several geographical regions where adequate drinking water is not available. There is also a huge depletion of ground water. Proper measures if not taken may lead to severe water shortage by the 2050. The researcher wants to understand the gravity of water scarcity in India with a focus on north east India, the water sources utilized by inhabitants and the ground water condition.