Water Resource Management: Thrust and Challenges

All are aware of the fact that today, every component of the environment is under strain due to increasing use of pesticides in agriculture, industrial automation, disposal of garbage and dumping waste material, etc., disturb the balance of ecosystem in numerous ways. In several respects, India is a unique country. Its environmental problems are also very complex with its varied bio-geographical and cultural diversity. Today, we need immediate attention towards environmental issues. At the current stage of development in India, the basic minimum needs of the common people like potable water, clean air, health care, primary education, sanitation and social security are very essential. If not managed properly, the above said negative environmental impacts may emerge. In this backdrop, hydrological poverty is one of the major challenges thrown both in rural and urban areas. The challenge is to protect drinking water supplies from the competing demand for water to meet out various requirements like domestic, agricultural and industrial purposes continuously alter the opportunity cost of water in different sectors. Therefore, apart from using technological alternatives to manage water resources, and there should be an appropriate institutional framework to allocate adequate quantities of water for drinking purpose. We have no doubt this book will be highly useful to academia, researchers, policymakers to take action plans to preserve and management of water resources in India.