Bundelkhand Water Woes: Paradigm Shift is Needed in the Strategy

Abstract

The Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh, India, is a parched region. Although long-term average annual rainfall of the region is quite sufficient, yet, on a short-term basis, the region is experiencing a sharp negative deviation in rainfall. The region was once a densely forested area and was considered a cloud formation zone. The present analysis shows that the deviation in rainfall correlates with forest cover and calls for a paradigm shift in the region’s water resources management strategy to solve the region’s water woes in the coming years. The alternative strategy which may change the scenario includes increasing forest cover to mitigate negative deviation in rainfall, implementing group schemes of drip and sprinkler irrigation on a large scale, searching the alternative source of water by developing the integrated facilities to retrieve, treat, store and transport wastewater, enacting comprehensive central water law, improving water efficiency through the Internet of Things, cloud and sensor-based network and large-scale renovation of traditional water bodies as water sanctuaries for groundwater replenishment may change the scenario.