New Delhi: The United Nations on World Water Day predicted that India will face a major water shortage by 2050 and rivalry with its neighbours over water resources may escalate into a conflict, media reports revealed.
The UN has predicted doom for the world around the middle of the 21 century. In the recent years, independent studies by outfits show that the world will become more unsustainable over the few decades.
Many of the doomsday predictions converge around 2050. Thirty six years from now, effects of climate change are expected to crystallise further and if predictions are to be believed, people would do not die of hunger or thirst, will die in a third world war, predicted in this century.
Five major organisations National Institute of Demographic Studies of France, Indian Agriculture Research Institute, United Nation Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, Food and Agriculture Organisation and Organisation for
Economic Cooperation and Development believe that India will be a very uncomfortable place to stay in by 2050.
They say that India will overtake China to be the most populous country in the world by 2030. Over 54 per cent Indians will live in Urban areas, Average temperature will rise by 3.2 degrees by 2050, leading to more cases of malaria and other viral diseases, which will cause claim many lives.
A Unesco report says over 40 per cent of the world’s population will live under water stress and the situation may cause water conflicts. “Area of conflict include Aral Sea, Ganga-Brahmaputra river, Indus river and Mekong river basins,” the report said.
It also says that upcoming dams on Brahmaputra are likely to be causes of concern.
The study claims most Himalayan glaciers will recede by 2035, leaving the Indian rivers dry. Also, food production in India may go down by 11 per cent.
