Theme 4-5-Water for mountain households in the Hindu Kush–Himalayas

Abstract

The Hindu Kush-Himalayas (HKH) are home to nearly 150 million people and the largest storehouse of fresh water in the lower latitudes. These tallest mountains are the sources of the six of the major rivers of the World, which provide sustenance to nearly 500 million people inhabiting these river basins. However water is found generally either at the extreme top (in the form of snow and glaciers) or in deep valley bottoms, while most settlements are in between without regular water supply systems for drinking, food production and other uses. They are totally dependent on meager and scarce local water resources. Water is a fundamental need for human survival and it has already become scarce for the people in these mountains as women and children are spending most of their time in fetching water for household uses. The problem of water availability is more acute in the low rainfall/rain shadow areas. The danger of desertification due to depletion of ground water has also been indicated in some parts of the HKH such as Balochistan, Pakistan. Recent studies have shown that pollution of local water is also increasing. With the population doubling almost every 35 years the problem of water for mountain households in the HKH will be more acute in the coming years. Furthermore, people in these mountains do not have the means to cope with this crisis particularly due to their poverty.

Harvesting of local water, including rainwater, offers the best hope to meet the challenges of the growing water crisis for the mountain households in the HKH as has been seen in China. For this, appropriate policy incentives and support and the use of indigenous knowledge and traditional management systems on water will be essential.

This paper deals with the analysis of the above issues based on studies undertaken in the mountainous areas of Bhutan, China, India, Nepal and Pakistan.