“Water usage across fast developing sub continental economies is growing at unprecedented rate which is more than twice the rate of the population growth for the past century. Although there is not yet a global water shortage, about 2.8 billion people, representing more than 40% of the world’s population, live with some form of water scarcity[1] off which almost 1.2 billion live under conditions of physical water scarcity, which occurs when more than 75% of the river flows are withdrawn in countries like India and China. Remaining 1.6 billion people live in areas of economic water scarcity, where human, institutional, and financial capital limits access to water, even though water is available locally to meet human demands. These conditions are prevalent in much of Southern Asia and Sub Saharan Africa. Symptoms include lack of or underdeveloped water infrastructure, high vulnerability to short and long term drought, and difficult access to reliable water supplies especially for rural people. On the other hand there is surprising connection between the quality of fresh water and healthful longevity and health benefits. All over the world and throughout time, wherever you find clean and contaminant free water, you find the healthiest, most vibrant civilizations. Water can often emerge as an issue in the relations between nation-states. Water treaties and agreements often come about because of the existing political environment. But the politics of water is not limited to the international sphere; domestic politics often plays a major role in water security. “Water because it's cheap we take it for granted on the contrary because it's priceless we shouldn't.” This paper is an overview of the issues surrounding India’s water scarcity, and also comparison of clean water standards between developing and developed nations.
