Opinion: Blue Revolution must follow green revolution
Green revolution of 70’s which revolutionised food commodity production of India does not need any more introductions.
Even though at the same period, blue revolution related to fisheries was launched, in contemporary times this phrase “blue revolution” became broader and is frequently used to address critical shortage of water world will face going forward. Broadly, it is the water equivalent of the green revolution and primarily refers to the management of water resources that can steer humanity to achieve drinking water and crop irrigation security.
With growing food demand and rising population in an economically rising India, emphasis has always been on agriculture and industrial activities even though former lost the pace in comparison to the later in terms of development.
However, the very basic cause of human life and economic activities, water which faces numerous challenges posing threat to future generation to meet its natural capacity remains unaddressed. Emphasis on irrigation for agriculture, economic activities like building dams have marginalised the availability of drinking water as well water holding capacity of rivers.
One way, industrial activities have revolutionized economy and other way it has not deliberately created harmful wastes polluting water all around.
Agricultural activities like extensive usage of pesticides to HYV seeds, continuous irrigation, and diversion of river water towards cultivation fields, repeated exploitation of groundwater , water wastage, failed rain harvesting are some what has posed threat to contaminants of water with chemicals, shortage of water retention capacity of land, erosions, etc.
One way green revolution increased food production but in longer term, with mismanagement of water, absence of proper laws and policy making has culminated new and rising concerns to provide safe drinking water to all.
Neither agriculture nor industries can be avoided in a country like India which aspires to be economic power in world, but what lacks in the aspiration is to forget the realities of socio economic concerns and remain economic gain alone. There is no proper strategy and policy for water like National water policy, non mandate of rain water harvesting, and no laws to prevent pollution of rivers, no action and regulation of industrial waste which will bring down growth, good health and socio economic right of being to live a healthy and sustainable life. With varying climate challenges and growing population, urban migration a day may come when we will have enough food and plates to eat but we will run short of water to drink. What needs at this moment of governments intervention to secure usage, wastage and control to provide water to population of today, tomorrow and future. This needs a strategic and action oriented approach to address growing challenges to scarcity of water in line of it was done for attaining self sufficiency for food during green revolution or in short “Blue revolution must follow green one”.
