“Water covers
two-thirds of the surface of the Earth, but Fresh water is 0.002% on Earth”
Bhutan -our
motherland is located in the heart of eastern Himalayas. Our country shares its
international boundaries with China in the North and India in the East, West
and South. We all know that our 38,983 square kilometer land is naturally dividing
into mountainous terrain and some very lesser amount of plains in the south. Despite
rich in culture and traditions, our country is rich with more than 70.46
percent of forest-covered land, surrounded by lands from all the sides of the
country. Our country is sometimes called as rich cultural and traditions and
birth place of Gross National Happiness (GNH), which states environment as one
of the four pillars. The Environment includes water bodies of the world. So,
water is very vital parts of our life.
Our motherland, the
land of thunder dragon being landlocked and mountainous topography, and
moreover, some 70.46 percent of the land is covered with forested areas, water sources
are available throughout the country. This is how ‘we’ Bhutanese people enjoy the
tremendous peace and happiness in everyone’s life on the earth. The rivers flow
from high altitudes to the low altitudes throughout the year. The stream,
springs, rivers, tributaries, and lakes are the main sources of water sources
in the country. Wherever we stay and move, we are surrounded by waters. We
could get fresh and clean water everywhere. This is the natural gifts for the
people of Bhutan.
The rivers flow
from the top of the mountains to the plains in the south through various hills
and gorges. The rivers are originated from the glaciers, streams, and springs and
sometimes out of melting of the snow and glaciers on the mountains, and many
more. The spring and stream water that comes out from the soil naturally have
high potential of mineral contents and its said to be good for health. There
are uncountable mineral waters, hot springs and other water sources in the
country.
Today, the country
like ours is under developing stage. The developmental activities such as
construction of roads, schools, houses, hydroelectric projects, industries,
etc. are in the process. Such construction works are carried on in forested
areas and also in farmlands. The thousand acres of land are used for above
purposes. The trees in that particular area are cut down without hesitation.
This may lead to decrease forest covered area drastically. When the numbers of
trees are reduced, the stream and spring water sources would dry up. Industries
are situating in the country, the industrial wastes such as harm gases are emit
in the air, harmful liquids in the water, and in open area. These would have
negative impacts on environment which force to water pollution, in which water
sources are being lessened. The drinkable waters are becoming undrinkable
today.
In the scenarios of
the world’s water bodies, only 3 percent of the water on the earth surface is
fresh and drinkable. The 97 percent of the water on earth’s surface is salty.
The salty water is not good for our health. The 3 percent of the fresh water is
shared amongst the billions of world’s population. Coming to Bhutan, the waters
in our country is useable. Some spring water contains enough amounts of
minerals that are good for human health. We, the Bhutanese people does not have
water shortage problem as of now. But things are changing with development
activities are underway. Water shortage will soon hit the cities and towns. Out
of many small towns in the country will soon face water problem. Our capital
city, now facing water shortage problems and even other towns in the country;
this is negative effect of the climate change.
For example, Thimphu
is our capital city; before few decades, the buildings in the city were
sparsely erected. The lesser people were lived there. The fresh and clean water
was supplied in every household for 24 hours a day. Today, the houses are
already crowded; population is increasing every now and then. Due to crowded
and congested area, more construction works carried in the area, the water
sources already dried up, which was connected to Thimphu city. Now the scenario
has changed. The water supplied for 24 hours a day has changed to few hours a
day. This is happens due to the climate change over recent years or the past.
The situation of
the country of being available fresh and clean water sources is in the process altering.
Every dzongkhag have towns, where thousands of people settled together for
various purposes. The water supply has become scarcer than before. There are many
rivers flowing in the valleys which have become unusable, because the waste
drains from the houses are drained out in the rivers. If this is the case, how
we can conserve water for our younger generations? Will our young generations
get same fresh and clean water?
Until now, water in
our country has been sources of happiness for all the individuals. Compare our
country with our neighbor friend, India. I met a young boy who was on the way
to Thimphu from Tamil Nadu. He was excited to be back in the country, he shares
his story as and when I asked him. Here it goes; “In early September, I
travelled to Vellore, India for further treatment. I stayed there for few
weeks. It was sophisticated to stay there, because of unavailability of fresh
and clean water for drinking purposes, forget about taking bath and all. We had
to buy bottled water for drinking and cooking purposes. To take bath and wash
clothes, we had use tap water that’s muddy and dirty. These were the water problems
or scarcity of water in India. Back to Bhutan, as soon as I reached
Phuentsholing, I could experience or see fresh and clean water. This is difference
between our country and our neighbor country”.
Due to climate
change taking place in the country and in world as a whole, the water is
getting scarcer and scarcer yearly. This problem is rising because, the people
in the world today use greenhouse to plant crops and vegetables. The greenhouse
has positive impacts but also has negative impacts, which lead to the climate
change that directly affect our water sources. Industrialization is one of the
reasons for water becoming scarcer. For the industries to be set up, large
amount of land is needed. The land is being cleared up and construction starts
on thereafter. Though, growths of industries are good for the country from
economy point of view, it help grow country’s economy, but it undoubtedly
affects the sources of the water. Human-activities such as use of vehicles,
shifting cultivation, forest fires, etc. also harm environment and lead to
scarcer of the water.
With this our water
sources that I mentioned in above paragraphs would dry up. The sources would be
lessened. Streams and springs water will one day go nowhere. Our country’s
situation would be poor in water sources.
In the recent past,
in our country, the forest fires damaged thousand acres of forest in eastern
Bhutan which also gutted more than thirty five houses to the ground. If such
continues in our country, the forested areas will be lessened and this will lead
to lessen the water sources. When water sources become lesser, it will have
adverse effect on the citizen of the country at large. The people living in
huge group have to fetch water from various sources. The fetching water from
various sources will cost huge amount of money which bring down economy of the
family and country at large.
Therefore, I urge
myself and my fellow country mate men and women, boys and girls, teachers and
students, businessmen and women, high level personalities and dignitaries, and
many more to be very cautious to fight against climate change to keep our water
sources available for the younger generations to following us stepping on same
stepping stones. We all must work hand in hand to conserve environment from
where our waters are originated. The few factors, which affect the water
sources, are deforestation, global warming, soil erosion, forest fires, etc.
which we must combat it jointly.
“A drop of water is
worth more than a sack of gold to a thirsty man”
