Talk delivered by Bajinder Pal Singh on "Water, people and the media"

1. Peopl
Bajinder Pal Singh
bajinder@hotmail.com
Presented at seminar “Water Crisis and Role of Media in People’s
Movement-organised by the local chapter of the Indian Media Centre at
ICSSR Complex, Panjab University (PU), on 14 June 2009.
Medi

2. How much water do you
Consume?

3. An early morning in our life
Courtesy: R K Laxman’s common man

4. An early morning in our life

5. An early morning in our life
= 0.5 litre
= 5 min

6. An early morning in our life
= 0.5 litre
= 5 min

7. An early morning in our life
= 0.5 litre
= 5 min
= 15 litre
= 15 min

8. An early morning in our life
= 0.5 litre
= 5 min
= 15 litre
= 15 min

9. An early morning in our life
= 0.5 litre
= 5 min
= 15 litre
= 15 min
= 15 litre
= 5 min

10. An early morning in our life
= 0.5 litre
= 5 min
= 15 litre
= 15 min
= 15 litre
= 5 min

11. An early morning in our life
= 0.5 litre
= 5 min
= 15 litre
= 15 min
= 15 litre
= 5 min

12. An early morning in our life
= 0.5 litre
= 5 min
= 15 litre
= 15 min
= 15 litre
= 5 min

13. An early morning in our life
= 0.5 litre
= 5 min
= 15 litre
= 15 min
= 15 litre
= 5 min

14. An early morning in our life
= 0.5 litre
= 5 min
= 15 litre
= 15 min
= 15 litre
= 5 min

15. An early morning in our life
= 0.5 litre = 15 litre = 30 litre
= 5 min = 20 min = 30 min
= 15 litre = 50 litre = 100 litre
= 15 min = 15 min = 20 min
= 1 litre
= 15 litre
= 10 min
= 5 min

16. An early morning in our life
= 0.5 litre = 15 litre = 30 litre
= 5 min = 20 min = 30 min
= 15 litre = 50 litre = 100 litre
= 15 min = 15 min = 20 min
= 1 litre
= 226.5 litre
= 15 litre
= 10 min = 100 min
= 5 min

17. An early morning in our life
= 0.5 litre = 15 litre = 30 litre
= 5 min = 20 min = 30 min
= 15 litre = 50 litre = 100 litre
= 15 min = 15 min = 20 min
= 1 litre
= 226.5 litre
= 15 litre
= 10 min = 100 min
= 5 min

18. 6 Posers
POSER 1: How much water do you consume?

19. How much water do you
Consume?
Drink?

20. How much water do you drink
every day?
2
LITRES ?
Thirst : a painting by William Bouguereau

21. How much water do you
Consume ?
Drink ?

22. How much water do you
Consume ?
Drink ?
Eat ?

23. How much water do you eat?

24. How much water do you eat?

25. How much water do you eat?

26. How much water do you eat?

27. How much water do you eat?

28. How much water do you eat?

29. How much water do you eat?

30. From Real Water…
Real Water

31. …to Virtual Water
Real Water

32. From Real Water to Virtual Water
Once crop is harvested the water changes
Real Water Virtual Water
Source: http://fao.org/nr/water

33. How much water is….
Source: Water unit of the Food and Agriculture Organization www.fao.org/nr/water

34. How much water is….
Source: Water unit of the Food and Agriculture Organization www.fao.org/nr/water

35. How much water is….
Source: Water unit of the Food and Agriculture Organization www.fao.org/nr/water

36. How much water is….
Source: Water unit of the Food and Agriculture Organization www.fao.org/nr/water

37. How much water is….
Source: Water unit of the Food and Agriculture Organization www.fao.org/nr/water

38. How much water is….
Source: Water unit of the Food and Agriculture Organization www.fao.org/nr/water

39. How much water is….
Source: Water unit of the Food and Agriculture Organization www.fao.org/nr/water

40. How much water is….
Source: Water unit of the Food and Agriculture Organization www.fao.org/nr/water

41. How much water is….
Source: Water unit of the Food and Agriculture Organization www.fao.org/nr/water

42. How much water is….
Source: Water unit of the Food and Agriculture Organization www.fao.org/nr/water

43. How much water is….
Source: Water unit of the Food and Agriculture Organization www.fao.org/nr/water

44. How much water is….
Source: Water unit of the Food and Agriculture Organization www.fao.org/nr/water

45. How much water is….
Source: Water unit of the Food and Agriculture Organization www.fao.org/nr/water

46. How much water is….
Source: Water unit of the Food and Agriculture Organization www.fao.org/nr/water

47. How much water is….
Source: Water unit of the Food and Agriculture Organization www.fao.org/nr/water

48. How much water is….
Source: Water unit of the Food and Agriculture Organization www.fao.org/nr/water

49. How much water is….
Source: Water unit of the Food and Agriculture Organization www.fao.org/nr/water

50. How much water is….
Source: Water unit of the Food and Agriculture Organization www.fao.org/nr/water

51. How much water is….
Source: Water unit of the Food and Agriculture Organization www.fao.org/nr/water

52. Virtual Water
 Virtual water is the amount of water
that is embedded in food or other
products needed for its production.
 For example, to produce one kilogram
of wheat we need about 1,000 litres
of water, i.e. the virtual water of this
kilogram of wheat is 1,000 litres. :
World Water Council

53. Virtual Water
Also known as
•Embedded water
•Hidden water
•Embodied water
Crown Princess Victoria presented the Stockholm Water Prize
to John Anthony Allan for his “virtual water" concept. Date: 2008-08-29
Source: http://www.royalcourt.se/royalcourt/theroyalfamily/latestnews/2008/2008archive/crownprincesspresentsstockholmwaterprize.5.30963a1811be3fda3ab80001644.html

54. Calculation virtual water

55. Calculating virtual water
India may require
more water to produce wheat than
the US
Because of heat, climate, soil......

56. Calculating virtual water
India may require
more water to produce than the US
Because of heat, climate, soil......
M3 /ton India
Wheat 1654
Rice 2850
Paddy
Cotton 8264
Seed
Coffee 12180
(green)
Source: UNESCO – Institute of Water Education
Water footprints of nations Volume 1: Main Chicken 7736
Report, Meat
A.K. Chapagain & A.Y. Hoekstra, November 2004

57. Calculating virtual water
India may require
more water to produce than the US
Because of heat, climate, soil......
M3 /ton USA China India World
Average
Wheat 849 690 1654 2975
Rice 1275 1321 2850 2291
Paddy
Cotton 2535 1419 8264 3644
Seed
Coffee 4864 6290 12180 17375
(green)
Source: UNESCO – Institute of Water Education
Water footprints of nations Volume 1: Main Chicken 2389 3652 7736 3918
Report, Meat
A.K. Chapagain & A.Y. Hoekstra, November 2004

58. Implications of virtual water
India may require
more water to produce than the US
Because of heat, climate, soil......
M3 /ton USA China India World
Average
Wheat 849 690 1654 2975
Rice 1275 1321 2850 2291
Paddy
Cotton 2535 1419 8264 3644
Seed
Coffee 4864 6290 12180 17375
(green)
Source: UNESCO – Institute of Water Education
Water footprints of nations Volume 1: Main Chicken 2389 3652 7736 3918
Report, Meat
A.K. Chapagain & A.Y. Hoekstra, November 2004

59. How much water do you
Consume ?
Drink ?
Eat ?

60. How much water do you
Consume ?
Drink ?
Eat ?
Export ?

61. Implications of virtual water

62. Implications of virtual water
India
Pakistan

63. Implications of virtual water
India 1 kg wheat
Pakistan

64. Virtual water trade
India 1 kg wheat = 1654 litres
Pakistan

65. Global Virtual Water Trade

66. Change in export policy?
Water-scarce
countries like Israel
discourage the export
of oranges (relatively
heavy water guzzlers)
precisely to prevent
large quantities of
water being exported
to different parts of
the world

67. Reverse drain?
“Research shows that certain
states in water-deficit North
Western India send surplus grain
to meet the deficit of water-
abundant states”:
International Water Management
Institute (IWMI)
Source: p4. Water Figures . Quaterly Newsletter of IWMI. ISSUE 1 2009

68. Virtual Water exporters
State Virtual Water Export
Punjab 20.9 x 109 cubic m / year
Source: Kampman, D.A., Hoekstra, A.Y. and Krol, M.S. (2008) ' The water footprint of India '

69. Virtual Water exporters
State Virtual Water Export
Punjab 20.9 x 109 cubic m / year
Uttar Pradesh 20.8 x 109 cubic m / year
Source: Kampman, D.A., Hoekstra, A.Y. and Krol, M.S. (2008) ' The water footprint of India '

70. Virtual water exporters
State Virtual water Export
Punjab 20.9 x 109 cubic m / year
Uttar Pradesh 20.8 x 109 cubic m / year
Haryana 14.1 x 109 cubic m / year
Source: Kampman, D.A., Hoekstra, A.Y. and Krol, M.S. (2008) ' The water footprint of India '

71. Virtual water exporters
State Virtual water Export
Punjab 20.9 x 109 cubic m / year
Uttar Pradesh 20.8 x 109 cubic m / year
Haryana 14.1 x 109 cubic m / year
Virtual Water Import
Bihar 15.3 x 109 cubic m / year
Jharkhand 9.3 x 109 cubic m / year
Orissa 4.8 x 109 cubic m / year

72. Virtual water exporters
State Virtual water Export Per capita
Water resources
(Cubic metre /capita/year )
Punjab 20.9 x 109 cubic m / year 3554
Uttar Pradesh 20.8 x 109 cubic m / year 2992
Haryana 14.1 x 109 cubic m / year 2176
Virtual Water Import
Bihar 15.3 x 109 cubic m / year 6898
Jharkhand 9.3 x 109 cubic m / year 4580
Orissa 4.8 x 109 cubic m / year 8710

73. Virtual water exporters
State Virtual water Export Per capita
Water resources
(Cubic metre /capita/year )
Punjab 20.9 x 109 cubic m / year 3554
Uttar Pradesh 20.8 x 109 cubic m / year 2992
Haryana 14.1 x 109 cubic m / year 2176
Virtual Water Import
Bihar 15.3 x 109 cubic m / year 6898
Jharkhand 9.3 x 109 cubic m / year 4580
Orissa 4.8 x 109 cubic m / year 8710

74. Punjab
Source: Kampman, D.A., Hoekstra, A.Y. and Krol, M.S. (2008) ' The water footprint of India '

75. How much water do you
Consume ?
Drink ?
Eat ?
Export ?

76. How much water do you
Consume ?
Drink ?
Eat ?
Export ?
Wear ?

77. How much water do you wear?
Production of 1 cotton shirt weighing 300
grams approximately 2,500 liters
Source: UNESCO-IHE

78. Water Footprint

79. How much water do you
Consume ?
Drink ?
Eat ?
Export ?
Wear ?

80. How much water do you
Consume ?
Drink ?
Eat ?
Export ?
Wear ?
Footprint?

81. Water Footprint
 Is defined as the total water used for the
production of the goods and services
consumed by the individual.
 It can be estimated by multiplying all
goods and services consumed by their
respective virtual-water content.

82. Water Footprint
Of an individual
Of a product
Of a company
Of a nation

83. Water Footprint
Country Water Footprint
m3/cap/yr
Global 1240
USA 2480
Greece, Italy, Spain 2300-2400
China 700
India 980
Source: Water footprints of nations
Volume 1: Main Report, A.K. Chapagain & A.Y. Hoekstra, November 2004

84. Water Footprint
 The 10 largest water users (in volume) are
India, China, the United States, Pakistan,
Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Bangladesh,
Mexico and the Russian Federation*
* Source: 3rd UN World Water Development Report, 2009

85. Water Footprint
 The 10 largest water users (in volume) are
India, China, the United States, Pakistan,
Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Bangladesh,
Mexico and the Russian Federation*
• India is the country with the largest
footprint in the world 987 Gm3/yr
* Source: 3rd UN World Water Development Report, 2009

86. Era of scarcity

87. Era of scarcity

88. Era of scarcity
Source:Shiklomanov, I.A. 1999. World water resources and their use: a joint SHI/UNESCO product. http://webworld.unesco.org/
water/ihp/db/shiklomanov/

89. India and water
Year Water Ranking
availability
m3/capita/year
1980 2000-5000 Low
2000 1000-2000 Very low
2020 < 1000 Drastically
low
(Source: Stockholm Environmental Institute data – Comprehensive assessment of fresh water resources in the world.)

90. Waste water in agriculture ?
Survey of 53 cities in world conducted by the
International Water Management Institute
(IWMI)
 80 % are using untreated or partially treated
wastewater for agriculture.
 In over 70 % of the cities, more than 50 % of
urban agricultural land is irrigated with
wastewater that is either raw or diluted in
streams
 There are now WHO guidelines on use of water
in agriculture titled “Guidelines for the safe use
of wastewater, excreta and greywater”

91. Ismail Serageldin
Former Vice President, World Bank
Kofi Annan
Former Secretary General of UN

92. Water Wars
“The wars of the next century will be fought not over oil,
but water...unless we change the way we manage it"
: Ismail Serageldin (1996)
"fierce competition for fresh water may well become
a source of conflict and wars in the future“ (2000)

93. Water Wars
The CIA’s report, Global Trends 2015
 …water scarcities and allocation will pose
significant challenges to governments in
the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa,
South Asia, and northern China
 Water will remain South Asia’s most vital
and most contested natural resource

94. Potential & Existing Conflicts
Countries River
Turkey, Syria & Iraq Tigris & Euphrates
Israel, Jordan, Syria & Palestine Jordan river, Golan height aquifers
India & Pakistan Punjab
India & Bangladesh Ganges &Brahmaputra
China, Indochina & Taiwan Mekong
Tajikistan, Kyrghyzstan & Oxus & Jaxartes
Uzbekistan
Ethiopia, Sudan and East African Nile river
riparian countries,
Source: http://www.unep.org/dewa/assessments/ecosystems/water/vitalwater/22.htm

95. Potential & Existing Conflicts
Countries River
Turkey, Syria & Iraq Tigris & Euphrates
Israel, Jordan, Syria & Palestine Jordan river, Golan height aquifers
India & Pakistan Punjab
India & Bangladesh Ganges &Brahmaputra
China, Indochina & Taiwan Mekong
Tajikistan, Kyrghyzstan & Oxus & Jaxartes
Uzbekistan
Ethiopia, Sudan and East African Nile river
riparian countries,
Source: http://www.unep.org/dewa/assessments/ecosystems/water/vitalwater/22.htm

96. Water Wars

97. Rivalry
 rival (n.)
 from L. rivalis "a rival," originally, "one
who uses the same stream" (or "one on
the opposite side of the stream"), from
rivus "brook" (see rivulet). The notion is of
the competitiveness of neighbors.

98. How could water scarcity impact
our lives

99. How could water scarcity impact
our lives
 It is already impacting our lives

100. How could water scarcity impact
our lives
It is already impacting our lives
 Ban on
 watering of lawns during mornings
 washing cars during mornings

preparation of milk based sweets
 Sowing of paddy before June 15
 We are already consuming food prepared
from waste water

101. What more?
 Shift from

Rice Paddy to other crops
 Meat eating to vegetarian diets
 Burgers back to naan / roti / paratha

102. Media Analysis
Serious analysis on media coverage of Water issues has
been found lacking
A very good example which could be followed is that of
Australia. Using the CARMA® system, an internationally
recognised Computer Aided Research and Media
Analysis methodology
Source: http://www.mediamonitors.com.au/insights/media-analysis

103. Media coverage of water in
Australia
 Every adult or child over the age of reason
in Australia is aware of a water crisis
 Between Jan-April 2007 - 80,000 media
news reports, features articles, columns,
letters to the editor and radio and TV
program segments discussing water
 3.5 billion Opportunities to See*
Source: http://www.mediamonitors.com.au/insights/media-analysis

104. Source: http://www.mediamonitors.com.au/insights/media-analysis

105. Quantitive & Qualitative Analysis
Source: http://www.mediamonitors.com.au/insights/media-analysis

106. Media coverage of water in India
An analysis of national English dailies
An analysis of vernacular daily in Punjab
An analysis of city supplements of English dailies
Duration: June 4-10, 2009
Page analysed : Page 1

107. The Times of India: June 4. 2009

108. The Times of India: June 5. 2009

109. The Times of India: June 6. 2009

110. The Times of India: June 7. 2009

111. The Times of India: June 8. 2009

112. The Times of India: June 9. 2009

113. The Times of India: June 10. 2009

114. The Indian Express: June 4. 2009 The Indian Express: June 5. 2009

115. The Indian Express: June 6. 2009 The Indian Express: June 7. 2009

116. The Indian Express: June 8. 2009 The Indian Express: June 9. 2009

117. The Indian Express: June 10. 2009

118. Daily Ajit: June 4. 2009 Daily Ajit: June 5. 2009

119. Daily Ajit: June 6. 2009 Daily Ajit: June 7. 2009

120. Daily Ajit: June 8. 2009 Daily Ajit: June 9. 2009

121. Daily Ajit: June 10. 2009

122. Chandigarh Newsline: June 09. 2009

123. HT Chandigarh Live: June 09. 2009 HT Chandigarh Live: June 09. 2009

124. Who loves water more?
 National dailies lack
coverage on water issues
 Vernacular dailies are
reporting on water issues
 City supplements – in
their quest for civic
journalism stress on
water issues – though
policy issues are missing

125. When does water make to news
 Water becomes an issue

Scarcity
• Drought,
• late monsoon etc
 Surplus
• Floods
 Contamination
• Unclean
• pesticide

126. Indian film song – clamouring for water/rains
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toJxhZ-DZQk