COMPREHENSION 2 CL 8

Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:

1) Sources once considered renewable are diminishing rapidly. Water is one element which, is

declining in the face of human onslaught. India's historic billionth baby has not led the government to

take concrete measures to control this rapid population growth. Jabalpur is located in the heart of

Madhya Pradesh and lies 15 kilometres from river Narmada. Its present population is 2 million. Two

decades back it was 700,000. Increasing population is making summers seem like a nightmare.

Though, in some areas of the city water supply is irregular throughout the year.

2) Water shortage leads to long queues and street squabbles with people's patience running out.

Once known as the city of lakes, the water bodies have today lost their lust. Built by our forefathers

for serving daily needs and for recharging groundwater the lakes are dying. Concrete buildings and waste material have taken the place of the

shrinking water bodies. Sports and business

complexes are being planned in place of the

retreating water bodies, without a passing

thought to the consequences on environment.

3) Scarcity of water has led to the digging of

tube wells in every plot of the newly-

constructed colonies. This has further

aggravated the problem with the fall of the

water table. The lakes need to be cleaned and

desalted regularly. If a fraction of funds

collected during festive occasions, are diverted

for maintaining these water bodies by local

committees then the wells of that locality could get recharged. Narmada, rain and groundwater are the three major sources of water for Jabalpur.

The water flow in Narmada is because of rains in the upper reaches of Jabalpur. This rainwater if

tapped, by every household can end the water crisis. If people build large underground water storage

tanks, to harvest rainwater it could also recharge groundwater. Other than the Narmada the other

water supplied is from by two reservoirs. Earlier most of the rain that fell recharged groundwater

aquifers because of dense green cover which, acted as a barrier for surface runoff. Now, with 70 per

cent of the forest cover in Khandari and 30 per cent of forest cover in Pariyat catchment removed the

available reservoirs are getting silted up. Unfortunately, there is no official policy to respond to the

crisis.

4) Licenses need to be made compulsory for every well digger. The imposition of high water charges

could be a viable solution for discouraging the misuse of water. Water charges need to be imposed

on volumetric use of water with the metering of all water supply points. In all government gardens use

of sprinkler, drip and greenhouses should be compulsorily implemented which could be a good

example for the public. During the monsoon Narmada water pipeline could be used for recharging

ponds in the city.

5) Rooftop water harvesting should be made essential, registration of colonies should not occur

without the water harvesting system. Forestation should be promoted on a war footing throughout the

state. High water consuming trees like the Eucalyptus should be avoided. Polluted water from

industrial areas should be safely disposed in such a way that it may not pollute

the river downstream.

A. Answer the following questions in a line or two.

1. What does water shortage lead to?

2. Which are the three major sources of water for Jabalpur?

3. How could rainwater help in curbing water crisis?

4. Find a word from the passage that means - shortage para 3

B. Based on your understanding of the given bar graph, write true or false.

1. Rainwater harvesting has the highest percentage of preventing water crisis.

2. Shallow well has the lowest percentage as compared to water tinkering in water scarcity strategy.

3. Earth dams and piped water are not the strategies for overcoming water scarcity.