Climate Change, Drought and India's Looming Food and Water
Crisis Intensification of drought, floods and cyclones is one of
the predictable impacts of climate change and climate
instability. The failure of monsoon in India and the consequent
drought, has impacted two thirds of India, especially the bread
basket of India's fertile gangetic plains. Bihar has had a 43%
rainfall deficit, Jharkhand - 47%, Uttar Pradesh - 64%, Haryana
- 61%, Punjab - 26%, Himachal Pradesh - 63%, Uttarakhand - 42%.
In the final analysis, India's food security rests on the
monsoon. Monsoon failure and widespread drought implies a
deepening of the already severe food crisis triggered by trade
liberalization policies which has made India the capital of
hunger. It also implies a deepening of the water crisis which
compelled me to write "Water Wars". The monsoons recharge the
groundwater and surface water systems. This year, because of
drought there will be reduced recharge. Since 1966, as a
consequence of the introduction of the Green R