Excerpts from India's 11th 5yr. plan (2012-2017) - Water Shortage!!

Below are major excerpts from India's 11th 5yr plan highlighting the problem of drinking water in the country!!

Water is a relatively scarce resource in India since we have 16.0 per cent of the world’s population

and only 4.0 per cent of the usable fresh water. Since the annual availability of fresh water is fixed and

demands are bound to expand as production increases

Satellite data reveals that there has been a decline in the ground water level of 4 centimetres each

year between 2002 and 2008 in the alluvial tracks of Northern India where natural rates of recharge are

high. This is equivalent to an increase in over 70.0 per cent in the rate of water extraction compared to the

previous decade

Water quality issues also arise due to chemical pollution through excessive fertiliser use and reckless

dumping of untreated waste into our rivers. Only about 30 per cent of the total sewage generated in the

country is actually treated before being dumped into available water bodies

Since groundwater is the main source of water in India, special emphasis is needed on obtaining

an accurate picture of groundwater resources, including a comprehensive mapping of our aquifers at

a watershed scale, with their storage and transmission characteristics. Our current network of around

60,000 observation wells is completely inadequate given the explosive rise in groundwater use in recent

years through nearly 30 million groundwater structures

Use of water by industry and urban areas needs to be made much more efficient. This requires

reducing dependence on fresh water, especially groundwater (which is increasingly being over-exploited

across the country) and ensuring safe disposal of waste. A major hike is required in investments in water

recycling or waste-water treatment

http://planningcommission.nic.in/plans/planrel/12appdrft/appraoch_12plan.pdf

Is India the most corrupt and dictatorial country on the planet?

It is reminiscent of the Hollywood movies, shot in the most deprived of African countries where you see a drug lord / gun dealer enjoying total authoritarian regime and controlling the masses unchallenged – alike Gabbar Singh’s regime over Ramgarh in Sholay.

Today the Union Law Minister in India, Salman Khurshid gets away with threatening remarks as such -

"I don't give a visa to go there but it's a long road to Farrukhabad. It is 300 kilometers away (from Delhi). He can get there...but how will he return?" asked Mr. Khurshid at his Delhi home on Tuesday night surrounded by his supporters. "I am trained as a lawyer...to work with ink and pens...but it is time to replace ink with blood," he added.

Mr. Khurshid was talking about Mr. Kejriwal’s proposed visit to the minister's constituency of Farrukhabad in Uttar Pradesh!

The Indian political leaders are not taking it kindly to the fact that the corruption scams are being exposed at a much greater frequency. Few years ago where corruptions scams took several years to surface – long after they had been committed, all the money stacked away in Swiss bank accounts and the ministers deep into retirement – today the scams are being exposed right at the helm. This should have been a good thing, but all that is happening is that these people have accepted that fact that scams will be exposed and continued to commit them – as there are no consequences, and the benefits outweigh the consequences – if any!

When Baba Ramdev tried to expose Digvijay Singh, the minister resorted to labeling Baba as fraud to discredit his credibility. So respond with mudslinging by confusing the people and tarnishing the accuser – good ploy! Now Khurshid has resorted to mafiaraj, by threatening the guy accusing him.

In which country do you see a law minister threatening an anti-corruption activist openly? If you can’t answer this India is probably at the bottom of the rot!