India’s population is increasing by leaps and bounds, placing enormous strain on the country’s natural resources, particularly water. Nearly 128 million Indians, out of a population of 1.2 billion, do not have a source of safe drinking water. Agricultural runoff and sewage pollute most water sources, and hazardous water use is linked to over 21% of infectious illnesses in India. 

Poor government planning and rising business privatisation have been blamed for India’s water crisis. Due to shifting weather patterns and periodic droughts, India is water-stressed, and women are disproportionately affected by this situation. 

Drought and Water Crisis

The water problem impacts women and girls:

• The water problem is personal for women. They are in charge of locating a resource their family needs for survival, such as water, food, sanitation, and hygiene.
• They may wait for water, walk great distances to obtain water, or pay high prices for water.
• Women will spend a total of 200 million hours gathering water throughout the world. Millions of people may spend significant amounts of time looking for a location to go in addition to gathering water.
• Safe drinking water is essential for women’s and their newborns’ health throughout pregnancy and beyond. Walking to gather water and holding large water containers might be dangerous for pregnant women.

Drought and Water Crisis have an Economic Impact:

• Water scarcity might exacerbate the threat of violence. Drought-induced price increases in food might exacerbate latent disputes and encourage migration. 
• Droughts and floods have triggered waves of migration and surges in violence in nations where rainfall influences economic growth.
• According to an Oxfam analysis from 2009, when a disaster hits a high-income nation, 23 people perish on average, whereas 1,052 people perish in least-developed countries.
• Water scarcity and drought have ramifications for poverty, health and well-being, economic growth, environment, and gender inequality. 

Drought is a Source of Poverty:

• Changing weather patterns, particularly droughts, harm farmers and result in food insecurity. Unfavourable weather has the potential to reduce crop harvests. Farmers and their families can see a decrease in revenue due to this.
• Natural calamities such as floods, tsunamis, droughts, and other natural catastrophes can devastate towns with already vulnerable infrastructure.
• They frequently lack adequate shelter, live in congested cities or remote villages, and have limited access to health and other services. As a result, populations may face widespread illness, food, water, and other basic necessities shortages.
• Poverty-stricken areas are frequently unable to recover from natural catastrophes without major financial and logistical assistance.

Water scarcity’s social consequences:

• On the social side, water scarcity negatively influences job possibilities, farm earnings, agricultural export credibility and reliability, and the vulnerable capacity to pay for home water.
• Water scarcity may be a major impediment to economic growth, as many industries rely on this valuable resource for their operations.
• For example, the agricultural and mining industries are both suffering the effects of the current drought. In contrast, the tourism business is also expected to suffer owing to a lack of water.
• A shortage of clean water is sure to disrupt the day-to-day operations of a family. Therefore water scarcity may have far-reaching effects on a community.

Water scarcity Economic Impact:

• Water scarcity may be a major obstacle to growth, as many industries rely on valuable resources in their operations. 
• For example, the agricultural and mining industries are both suffering due to the current drought. At the same time, the tourism business is also likely to suffer owing to a shortage of water.
• On a personal level, such macroeconomic effects can have far-reaching consequences. Businesses are expected to be compelled to lay off part of their workforces when corporate operations stagnate, resulting in lower consumer purchasing power among vulnerable populations.

Conclusion 

Crops fail, livestock dies, families endure food shortages and starvation, people are forced to move, and wars erupt. The water crisis puts a burden on existing infrastructure, raising costs for residents, companies, and the government. To decrease risks, build resilience, and stay competitive in the future, industries are severely impacted by water scarcity. Resources such as energy, food, mining, and agriculture must establish business models and make adjustments across their whole value chain.