Most MPs Remained Absent When Rajya Sabha Discussed Country's Water Crisis, Shows Viral Image
A photo shared by Twitter handle &lsquoMaadhyam&rsquo shows how scarcely the Rajya Sabha was occupied when a debate on water crisis was taking place on June 26. The photo of the number of members of parliament present while the debate is going on shows how non-serious the lawmakers are. People are fleeing homes in search of water as groundwater depletes and taps run dry.
While the country is experiencing one of its worst water crises, those who are at the helm of the affairs are nowhere to be seen. A photo shared by Twitter handle ¡®Maadhyam¡¯ shows how scarcely the Rajya Sabha was occupied when a debate on water crisis was taking place on June 26.
The photo of the number of members of parliament present while the debate is going on shows how non-serious the lawmakers are at a time when the country is going through severe water crisis and people are fleeing homes in search of water, as groundwater depletes and taps run dry.
World¡¯s sixth largest city, Chennai, is going acute water crisis. During a short duration debate in the Upper House on water crisis in the country, T K Rangarajan of the CPI-M said Chennai is the first Indian city 'to have gone dry' with the Central Water Commission reporting a rainfall deficit of 41 per cent in Tamil Nadu till June 13 this year.
By the way, this is how occupied #RajyaSabha is when debate on #WaterCrisis is going on!#SansadWatch pic.twitter.com/RHNppq4eIG
¡ª Maadhyam (@_maadhyam_) June 26, 2019
"Most of the Chennai population today depends on water tankers, municipal supply and private supply for drinking water. A tank of private water costs more than one gram of gold. Now gold is cheaper in Chennai than water. This is the truth," Rangarajan said.
Shiv Sena's Anil Desai said water crisis has assumed gigantic proportions to the extent that it is believed the next war will be fought over water, reported the PTI.
Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Shekhawat said the government would provide clean drinking water to every household of the country by 2024.
Besides, the government would also undertake and promote steps for water conservation and curbing extraction of underground water, which is depleting the water table and is a matter of concern, the minister said.
A new report by NITI Aayog, a government think-tank, stated that India is facing the worst water crisis in its history, and 21 Indian cities will run out of groundwater by 2020.
With nearly 600 million Indians facing high-to-extreme water stress--where more than 40% of the annually available surface water is used every year--and about 200,000 people dying every year due to inadequate access to safe water.
The report stresses the situation is likely to worsen as the demand for water will exceed the supply by 2050.
