VIJAYAWADA: South India is facing serious water scarcity and the situation is likely to get much worse in the near future if urgent measures are not taken, opined experts in the Water South-2017 workshop organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), in association with the government of Andhra Pradesh. Director of Waterquest Hydro Resources, Akash Mahendra Bhavsar, has said that in India, 63 million people are not having drinking water facility as on date and by 2025, the number will rise to 103 million. He said with the urbanisation taking place at rapid pace, the Indian cities are facing alarming situation when it comes to providing safe drinking water.
With the rapid urbanisation, the Indian cities are sinking with excessive usage of water from borewells, said senior manager, World Resources Institute, Vittal Boggaram. He observed that Bengaluru city is sinking by 2.5 cm every year. He also pointed out that only 1 per cent of the rainwater is being harvested in urban areas, which he termed as criminal negligence.
Principal secretary of municipal administration Karikal Valaven has said that the Andhra Pradesh government has formed urban infrastructure and asset management limited to provide better water and sewerage treatment facilities in the cities. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) southern region chairman Vikram Kirloskar has said that the CII is working towards rejuvenating water bodies, especially in urban areas by partnering with industry as well as the governments.
