Cite this article:
Gupta (1989). Water Resource Potential and Development In Bastar District Of Madhya Pradesh. Journal of Ravishankar University (Part-A: Geography), 2(1), pp.06-21.
Journal
of Ravishankar University Vol. 01 No. A
(Geography) 1989 pp. 06-21 ISSN 0970
5910
Water Resource Potential and Development In Bastar District Of Madhya
Pradesh
H
S Gupta
Department
of Geography
Ravishankar
University, Raipur-492010
MS received: 28 Feb 89
1. Introduction: Water is essential for
survival of all living biological systems. It constitutes 65% ol the human body, and one must
replace 5 percent of it every day. Agriculture requires a large amount of
water. Industrial need is equally acute.
It is also a perennial source of energy and an
important means of transportation. It is
a free gift of Nature, but its proper
use depends on the wisdom of man. Supply of clean drinking water and
development of water resources for irrigation. power, etc. have formed an
important aspect of our national development plans. But the majority of India's
population has no public water supply of any kind, and most of our cultivated
area remains rainfed. The problem of water supply in Bastar, a remote and
predominantly tribal district is quite acute. However, the prospects are not
gloomy. Attempts are being made to survey and develop the water
resources in the district. Fresh water has two unique characteristics regarding
its use and problems. Firstly, it is a
mobile and renewable resource par excellence. Therefore, if it remains
unused, it goes waste to sea or evaporates to atmosphere. Secondly,
"almost all water
situations and problems arc local or regional rather than nationwide
Generally speaking a region's
needs for fresh water have to be met from its own
supplies" (Landsberg of 1965). The natural supply of water is replenished
periodically by rainfall, and the water
thus received is disposed off through evaporation and transpiration,
underground percolation and surface flow.
In this way the hydrological cycle goes on regularly.The quantity and proportion of these components of the
cycle determine the water resource potential of a region. In the present paper, an attempt has been
made to assess the water wealth, and
discuss the existing pattern of uses and prospects of future development of
water resources in Bastar District.
NOTE:
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