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Q) Which of the following is/are true about Chilka Lake?

1. Western Ghats infringe Chilka Lake in southern margins.
2. It experiences both South–west and North-east monsoons.
3. Endangered Irrawaddy dolphin and dugong are also found in Chilka Lake.

Select the correct answer from the following codes

1. Only 1
2. Only 1 and 2
3. Only 2 and 3
4. 1, 2 and 3

WHAT’S THE CURRENT WATER CRISIS IN INDIA?

• At present, more than 44% area of the country is facing drought-like conditions.
• Of these over 17% is facing ‘severe dry’ conditions.
• Many of these regions may not recover even after a ‘normal’ monsoon this year.
• Last year i.e. 2018, both northeast monsoon and southwest monsoon rains were ‘below normal’.
• Even this year’s pre-monsoon season, March to May, registered a cumulative rainfall departure of minus 24%.

• Even the progress of this year’s monsoon has also been slow.
• Against the normal onset date of June 1, the southwest monsoon arrived over Kerala on June 8 this year.
• It hit Mumbai only on June 25, the most delayed it has been in the last 45 years.
• So far, there is a deficit of minus 36% rainfall in this southwest monsoon season.
•  According to the Central Water Commission, which monitors the water storage status of 91 reservoirs in the country, only 17% of total live storage capacity remaining in these reservoirs.

MOST AFFECTED REGIONS

• The most affected region is the parts of southern peninsula except Kerala.
• Coastal Andhra, Rayalaseema, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, and south interior Karnataka.
• These regions are most affected because they receive a major chunk of their annual rainfall from the northeast monsoon (October to December) and not the southwest monsoon (June to September).
• As per the IMD data the last northeast monsoon season received only 56% of the long-term average rainfall.

IS THE CRISIS SUDDEN?

• No, experts believe the situation has been building up from quite some time.
• For example- Maharashtra in October 2018 itself had declare drought in more than 42% talukas.
• As of June 26, Maharashtra has only 5.96% water in all its dams.
• By the end of the last northeast monsoon season, it was clear that almost half the country would be heading towards a drought.

 HAS THERE BEEN ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE CENTRE?

• Early this year, the Centre released Rs 6,680 crore as drought relief to four states —Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat.
• Of these, Maharashtra received the lion’s share of Rs 4,700 crore followed by Karnataka which received Rs 950 crore.

REASONS FOR THE CURRENT CRISIS

• The first & foremost reason is the poor monsoon rainfall and its changing pattern almost every year.
• But the water crisis has turned acute due to mindless extraction and mismanagement of groundwater.
• Earlier even if no water fell from sky, there would be plenty of water under the ground.
• Now, there are pockets in Marathwada where no groundwater can be found even at depths of 1,000 feet.
• Several villages have turned into ‘ghost villages’. People have locked their houses and migrated due to lack of water.

SOLUTION

• First, there is need to recognize the crisis.
• Through transportation, water must be made available to the places where no alternative is left.
• Farmers must shift the crop pattern from water intensive crops like rice, sugarcane to less-water intensive crop like millets (jowar, bajra), sorghum etc.
• Real time rain forecast by IMD.
• Conservation of rain water through building of reservoirs, tanks.

Q) Which of the following is/are true about Chilka Lake?

1. Western Ghats infringe Chilka Lake in southern margins.
2. It experiences both South–west and North-east monsoons.
3. Endangered Irrawaddy dolphin and dugong are also found in Chilka Lake.

Select the correct answer from the following codes

1. Only 1
2. Only 1 and 2
3. Only 2 and 3
4. 1, 2 and 3

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