Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
5. “30 Indian cities will face ‘water risk’ by 2050”, in this context examine and suggest steps that need to be taken urgently to save these cities from the burden of the water risk. (250 words)
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
The editorial talks about the water crisis that the major Indian cities will face by 2050.
Key Demand of the question:
One must analyse the issue at hand with respect to the water risk facing the Indian cities and suggest steps that need to be taken urgently to save these cities from the burden of the water risk.
Directive:
Examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we must look into the topic (content words) in detail, inspect it, investigate it and establish the key facts and issues related to the topic in question. While doing so we should explain why these facts and issues are important and their implications.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Define what water-risk is; it is nothing but the losses caused from battling droughts to flooding.
Body:
Quote key data from the report quoted in the article and highlight the graveness of the issue. 100 cities that are expected to suffer the greatest rise in water risk by 2050 are home to at least 350 million people as well as nationally and globally important economies. Globally, populations in areas of high-water risk could rise from 17% in 2020 to 51% by 2050.
Discuss why there is an urgent need to address such a crisis.
As India rapidly urbanizes, cities will be at the forefront both for India’s growth and for sustainability. For cities to break away from the current vicious loop of flooding and water scarcity, nature-based solutions like restoration of urban watersheds and wetlands could offer solutions
Conclusion:
Conclude with solutions.
