India is facing one of its major and most serious water crisis.

After two consecutive years of weak monsoons, 330 million people — a quarter of the country’s population — are affected by a severe drought. With nearly 50 per cent of India grappling with drought-like conditions, the situation has been particularly grim this year in western and southern states that received below average rainfall.

We are valuing land more than water, neglecting our local water bodies, which have either gone dry or encroached. 

The hundreds of millions don't have access to clean water. Aiming at laying huge pipeline networks for water supply means that yet again, we are giving more preference to infrastructure. Also, the moot questions are: what will happen if there is no water to supply? 

All this leads to the fact that we need to promote a decentralized approach, with a key focus on water conservation, source sustainability, storage and reuse wherever possible.

It is important to understand that managing the water situation is not the job of only engineers but all stakeholders including hydro-geologists, economists, planners and most importantly, communities themselves.

In India, rainwater harvesting has been in practice for more than 4000 years. It is basically a simple process of accumulating and storing of rainwater. Rainwater harvesting systems, since ancient times, has been applied as a supply for drinking water, water for irrigation, and water for livestock.

The systems are easy to construct from locally sourced inexpensive materials, and it has proved to be a success in most areas. The prime advantage of rainwater is that the quality of water is usually good, and it does not necessitate any treatment before consumption. Household rainfall catchments can significantly contribute where the source of drinking water is contaminated and scarce.

Instead of using the roof for catchment, the Rain-Saucer, which looks like an upside-down umbrella, collects rain straight from the sky.

As for our decision-makers, they need to re-think: Are we being sold dreams or realities?

Government must introduce policies on the subject immediately to arrest any further water crisis.