WATER ON EARTH: The Story of Its Origin, Habitats, Neglect and Regeneration

The per capita water availability on our planet has been consistently dipping. This was over 6000 cubic metres in 1947 and is projected to decrease to less than 1150 cubic metres in 2050, which is regarded by WHO as insufficient for healthy living. As global population grows to over 9 billion by 2050, water scarcity could ‘blow up’ the world through failure of crops, breakdown of ecosystems, collapse of industries etc.
Majority of India survives on ground water. Ground water levels are receding all over the country, rivers are drying up and fertile lands are turning towards desertification. Global warming is making the situation even worse. Already, parts of India are facing drought due to failure of the monsoon year after year.
Nature had created the surface and ground water habitats for fresh water through geological activities millions of years ago. Until about a hundred years ago, fresh water from these habitats appeared to be perennial. But its traditional habitats are being systematically destroyed by human activities and the ignorant public remains a mute spectator.
The book seeks to create scientific awareness about habitats of water, its global distribution, ground water, rivers and surface water. It introduces concepts of ground water, recharging and regenerating fresh water by mimicking nature in green houses, desalination through evaporation and condensation and other modern techniques. Additionally, the book introduces the emerging concept of ‘water footprint’ of crops and commodities so that people participate in deciding the pattern for its rational utilization.

Shruti Mathur, recipient of Young Scientists’ Award from the Indian Science Congress, an avowed academician and researcher, is currently Associate Professor of Biotechnology, Amity University, Jaipur. Conscious, as she is, about the perils of the threatening water shortages in the country, her commitment to arm the society with scientific awareness about water is as strong as her research interests in Biotechnology. She has guided research students and has also published her research in reputed international journals.
Rajendra Kumar, former Director, Regional Research Laboratory (CSIR), Bhopal has been connected with various environmental issues pertaining to global warming. He participated in the UN workshops on climate control in Moscow and Saarbrucken (Germany). He has authored two books in the field of metallurgical engineering.