According to the census, 97.1% of these bodies of water are located in rural areas and are mostly utilised for agriculture or angling, making it clear that the majority of them are not fit for human consumption.
Source: Indiatimes.com
Girls and women are negatively impacted by this because they are compelled to travel great distances or stand in lengthy lines for drinkable water, which leaves them with much less time for other crucial responsibilities like going to school or engaging in other income-generating activities.
West Bengal looks to be the state with the most water bodies, with around 7,50,00. However, it is also the state in India with the second-highest percentage of villages without access to clean drinking water.
Bengal is also failing to safeguard this important resource. The link between the real estate business and the elites who benefit from increasing urbanisation frequently results in unchecked encroachments on the natural ecology, as evidenced by the diminishing wetlands and waterbodies in Calcutta.
Thus, it is impossible to overestimate the importance of this database. Policymakers may be better able to make decisions on a variety of issues, such as urban planning, ecosystem restoration, and rural job generating plans, if they have information on the size, encroachment status, and storage capacity of the water bodies. The information can also be applied to further, related societal problems.
Source: Path Finder
For example, there is a clear connection between water and the possibility for societal instability. Private ownership of almost 55% of India’s water bodies limits access for disadvantaged groups like the backward castes. As the water issue worsens, it is anticipated that these confrontations will get worse. One of the most significant public resources, water has a direct impact on the right to life.
The Supreme Court has repeatedly emphasised the significance of the basic right to water as a common good. But the truth is worse. A democratic and ethical culture of resource consumption must be established using the data collected by the survey.
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