World Water Day 2023 quote by Dr. Syamal Sarkar (Ph.D.), IAS (R), Former Secretary, Min. of Water Resources & DoPT, Distinguished Fellow, TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute)
Water is essential for the economic growth of any country. In a growing economy like India industry plays an important role for water intake keeping in mind their production output. In 2000 the water demand of Indian industry was about 10 bcm and it is projected to increase to about 193 bcm in 2050 given the business-as-usual scenario. If India falls into the category of a 5 trillion-dollar economy in the coming years, the water demand will be much more than the above projection. By 2030, India’s water demand will be twice the available water supply.
Thermal power plants in India is the highest water intensive industry in India. In power plants water is used for many purposes: cooling powers, ash handling etc. About 70% of total water consumption takes place in cooling towers and ash handling processes. Water can be saved substantially if water use efficiency is increased in these segments of the power production process. The discharge water of the industries, if safely treated, can be reused in the industry.
India is a water stressed country and is expected to touch water scarcity bench mark in the coming years. This situation calls for conservation and saving of water in all sectors and treat and reuse of water in industrial sector, domestic sector, and agriculture sector. The UN Sustainable Development Goal 6 relating to water and sanitation could be achieved by India by 2030 if there are ‘accelerating changes’ in the programmes relating to sustainable water management in the country along with partnership and cooperation of various stakeholders.
