[9:54 PM,20/07/2021]Priyanshi: Current Scenario of Water Resources in India

Water resources are sources of water that are useful or potentially useful to humans. Water resources come in many forms but the three major forms are saltwater, groundwater, surface water. Although our earth is called the ” Blue Planet” as 70% of the earth is covered by water yet only 2.5% of the world’s water is fresh, while 97.5% is saline being oceans. Of this small percentage of fresh water, only 0.3% of this freshwater is available from rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, 30% from the groundwater while the rest is stored in distant glaciers, ice sheets, mountainous areas, places that we hardly access. The demand for water from various water users, namely domestic, municipal, agricultural, horticulture, recreation, power, and industrial sectors are increasing.
Now for discussing the current scenario of water resources, we will be discussing two things the availability and the quality of water resources. Firstly, discussing the availability factors, the renewable freshwater resources of the country are only about 4% of those of the world. As in many countries, the water resources of this country are not evenly distributed in space and time. Although some water is received from the upstream countries, precipitation is the main source of water availability. India is an agricultural country and a greater share of the population lives in rural areas. There prevails so much inadequacy of water resources in some areas whereas there is excess supply of water resources in other areas. This much inequity in distribution leads to so many problems. One side of the country is facing floods whereas another side is facing drought , these two opposite phenomena are hitting the country simultaneously. The increased pressure is spilling over the groundwater resources as well because of unhydrological uncertainty growing groundwater contamination problems. Our government is trying to solve this problem that exists due to inequity in distribution of water resources by working on certain projects like transferring huge volumes of water from one basin to another whether there is a lack of water resources.
If we talk about the quality of water resources then we must be aware of the fact that with increasing population, the amount of wastewater discharge also increases. This poses a crucial problem of water pollution to rivers as well as groundwater and thus meeting human water needs and sustenance of aquatic ecosystems remain one of the greatest. Indian rivers such as Ganga, Yamuna are showing a very poor state of water quality in many stretches. Also, the groundwater contamination by arsenic in West Bengal and fluoride contamination in Rajasthan is posing a serious threat to mankind as the drinking water supply is at the stake of great hydrological risk. Arsenic poisoning and fluoride contamination are becoming major bottlenecks in safe drinking water supply and health. Thus water quality management is the most complicated task.
Appropriate water management plans are required to be adopted by the industries to reduce wastewater, water scarcity and to have less stress on the water resources so that they could be used for other essential drinking water supplies. This will facilitate water accountability to industrial consumers and in turn, it will be a significant contribution to water resource planners and for the sustainability of resources as well.

We use mirrors in our daily life for various purposes. Mainly, we use them for beautifying us. The mirror is an optical device with a polished surface that reflects the light falling on it. A typical mirror is a glass sheet coated with aluminum or silver on one of its sides to produce an image. Mirrors have a plane or curved surface. Curved mirrors have surface that are spherical, cylindrical, parabolic and ellipsoid. The shape of a mirror determines the type of image it forms. Plane mirrors form the perfect image of an object. Whereas, curved mirrors produce images that are either enlarged or diminished.

SPHERICAL MIRRORS
Spherical mirrors are one form of curved mirrors. If the curved mirror is a part of a sphere, then it is called a ‘spherical mirror’.

It resembles the shape of a piece cut out from a spherical surface. One side of this mirror is silvered and the reflection of light occurs at the other side.

CONCAVE MIRROR
A spherical mirror, in which the reflection of light occurs at its concave surface, is called a concave mirror. These mirrors magnify the object placed close to them. The most common example of a concave mirror is the make-up mirror.

CONVEX MIRROR
A spherical mirror, in which the reflection of light occurs at its convex surface, is called a convex mirror. The image formed by these mirrors is smaller than the object. Most common convex mirrors are rear viewing mirrors used in vehicles.

PARABOLIC MIRRORS
A parabolic mirr, which is in the shape of a parabola, is one type of curved mirror. It has a concave reflecting surface and this surface directs the entire incident beam of light to converge at its focal point.

In the same way, light rays generated by the source placed at the focal point will fall on this surface and they will be diverged in a direction, which is parallel to the principal axis of the parabolic mirror. Hence, the light rays will be reflected to travel a long distance, without getting diminished.

Parabolic mirrors, also known as parabolic reflectors, are used to collect or project light energy, heat energy, sound energy and radio waves. They are used in reflecting telescopes, radio telescopes and parabolic microphones. They are also used in solar cookers and solar water heaters.

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Introduction–

Land policy in India has been an important topic of government policy discussion. Since the ancient era, various changes took place in land policy. It was only after independence, the major issues of land has been somewhat sorted out.

In the regime of Akbar, his land revenue officer Todar Mal gave the shape to land policy by introducing various features like land measurement, fixed land revenue and classification of lands. It was the possible beginning of systematic efforts in this field. Under the pre-British era, land revenue was collected by state and it was the sole owner of land who confirmed their rights to land produce. During British rule, existence of non-cultivating intermediaries made the condition even worse by extracting high revenues and sustaining the political hold on the country. At the time of independence, Indian agrarian system was characterised by parasitic intermediaries, high rent, different land revenues, small farmers holding large lands etc.

After Independence-

Immediately after the independence, the newly formed government appointed a Committee under J. C. Kumarappa. His Committee recommended comprehensive reforms in agrarian system. However, mostly of its recommendations were rejected.
Since then, India’s land policy has undergo many changes like abolition of intermediaries, tenancy reforms, redistribution of lands using land ceilings, bringing uncultivated land into cultivation while maintaining the land revenue administration simultaneously.

Moreover, the Constitution of India also provided Article 39 which says that the  ownership and control of material resources of the country should be distributed as best to serve the common good and no concentration of wealth in hands of few that may result detrimental. The Constitution also made land a state subject. However, the central government played a significant advisory role and also provide finances to states.

The focus and emphasis on land policy has changed from last 50 years but some of the issues remain persistent. India’s economy is significantly based on agriculture. Hence, the government should make some policies to improve agrarian structure.

What is Domestic Violence?

Domestic violence is violence or other abuse in a domestic setting, such as in marriage or cohabitation. Domestic violence is often used as a synonym for intimate partner violence, which is committed by one of the people in an intimate relationship against the other person, and can take place in heterosexual or same-sex relationships, or between former spouses or partners. In its broadest sense, domestic violence also involves violence against children, teenagers, parents, or the elderly. It takes multiple forms, including physical, verbal, emotional, economic, religious, reproductive, and sexual abuse, which can range from subtle, coercive forms to marital rape and to violent physical abuse such as choking, beating, female genital mutilation, and acid throwing that results in disfigurement or death. Domestic murders include stoning, bride burning, honour killing, and dowry death.

A 2014 study reports that although the reported sexual violence rate in India is among the lowest in the world, the large population of India means that the violence affects 27.5 million women over their lifetimes. However, an opinion survey among experts was carried out ranked India as the most dangerous country in the world for women.

Globally, the victims of domestic violence are overwhelmingly women, and women tend to experience more severe forms of violence. They are also likelier than men to use intimate partner violence in self-defence. In some countries, domestic violence may be seen as justified or legally permitted, particularly in cases of actual or suspected infidelity on the part of the woman

Domestic violence often occurs when the abuser believes that abuse is an entitlement, acceptable, justified, or unlikely to be reported. It may produce an intergenerational cycle of violence in children and other family members, who may feel that such violence is acceptable or condoned.

Types of Domestic Violence:-

All domestic violence are not equivalent. Differences in frequency, severity, purpose, and outcome are all significant. Domestic violence can take many forms, including physical aggression or assault (hitting, kicking, biting, shoving, restraining, slapping, throwing objects, beating up, etc.), or threats thereof; sexual abuse; controlling or domineering; intimidation; stalking; passive/covert abuse and economic deprivation. It can also mean endangerment, criminal coercion, kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, trespassing, and harassment.

• Physical Abuse:

It is a violence which is intended to cause fear, pain, injury, other physical suffering or bodily harm. Physical violence can be the culmination of other abusive behaviour, such as threats, intimidation, and restriction of victim self-determination through isolation, manipulation and other limitations of personal freedom. Denying medical care, sleep deprivation, and forced drug or alcohol use, are also forms of physical abuse.

Strangulation in the context of domestic violence has received significant attention. It is now recognized as one of the most lethal forms of domestic violence; yet, because of the lack of external injuries, and the lack of social awareness and medical training in regard to it, strangulation has often been a hidden problem.

During pregnancy, a woman is at higher risk to be abused or long-standing abuse may change in severity, causing negative health effects to the mother and foetus.  Pregnancy can also lead to a hiatus of domestic violence when the abuser does not want to harm the unborn child.

Acid attacks, are an extreme form of violence in which acid is thrown at the victims, usually their faces, resulting in extensive damage including long-term blindness and permanent scarring.

Bride burning or dowry killing is a form of domestic violence in which a newly married woman is killed at home by her husband or husband’s family due to their dissatisfaction over the dowry provided by her family. The act is often a result of demands for more or prolonged dowry after the marriage.

• Sexual Abuse:-

Sexual abuse, is defined by World Health Organization as any sexual act, attempt to obtain a sexual act, unwanted sexual comments or advances, or acts to traffic, or otherwise directed, against a person’s sexuality using coercion. It also includes obligatory inspections for virginity and female genital mutilation.

In many cultures, victims of rape are considered to have brought dishonor or disgrace to their families and face severe familial violence, including honor killings.This is especially the case if the victim becomes pregnant.

Incest, or sexual contact between a related adult and a child, is one form of familial sexual violence.^[  In some cultures, there are ritualized forms of child sexual abuse taking place with the knowledge and consent of the family, where the child is induced to engage in sexual acts with adults, possibly in exchange for money or goods.

Reproductive coercion are threats or acts of violence against a partner’s reproductive rights, health and decision-making; and includes a collection of behaviors intended to pressure or coerce a partner into becoming pregnant or ending a pregnancy.

Marital rape is non-consensual penetration perpetrated against a spouse. It is under-reported, under-prosecuted, and legal in many countries, due in part to the belief that through marriage, a woman gives irrevocable consent for her husband to have sex with her when he wishes.

• Emotional Abuse:-

Emotional abuse is a pattern of behavior that threatens, intimidates, dehumanizes or systematically undermines self-worth. According to the Istanbul Convention, psychological violence is “the intentional conduct of seriously impairing a person’s psychological integrity through coercion or threats”.

Emotional abuse includes minimising, threats, isolation, public humiliation, unrelenting criticism, constant personal devaluation, coercive control, repeated stonewalling and gaslighting. Stalking is a common form of psychological intimidation, and is most often perpetrated by former or current intimate partners. Victims tend to feel their partner has nearly total control over them, greatly affecting the power dynamic in a relationship, empowering the perpetrator, and disempowering the victim.

•  A much needed movie at this point of time. The movie discusses everything related to the Indian Patriarchal society, and how most people, women and men alike are oblivious of such a thing. Rather than a problem, it is accepted as a custom.. a norm.
  
  The movie shows how a woman was part of this norm as she was forced by the others who followed the norm, found out her mistake, and found a way out of it.
  
  Her husband and father in law are the perfect example of male privilege and patriarchy. They act progressive by claiming to adjust… The father in law is adjusting by eating chutney that was made with a blender rather than a cooking stone. Yet at the same time he wants rice to be cooked in a firewood flame, and not a pressure cooker and his clothes hand washed. The husband says he’ll “allow” her to go to work, but his actual response was “we’ll think about it later” which was his standard response to every thing the wife asks.
  
  The movie perfectly shows the situation of women where they have to take care of every single thing in the house, from literally handing the father in law a toothbrush to cleaning the kitchen sink it it gets clogged. All this, only to be locked away in a single room, for a week, probably even without windows during the time of their periods. The movie also shows that it’s not just a problem with the male, but also the females who are conditioned.. an elder lady asks our protagonist why she is still in the house during her periods and not in the outhouse.
  
  But the beauty of the movie lies in its characters. The director hasn’t vilified the husband and father in law. They are seen as people who are trapped in the old norms, and who mean no harm to women in any way. They aren’t chauvinists. They’re just “conservative” if I may.
  
  Every single scene is well thought and executed. And the movie ends with a message too, where the woman yells at her own brother who asks their mother to get him some water.
  
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  The movie also shows the hypocrisy of the husband being a social science teacher teaching about the importance of family saying “it is a communion and a collaborative effort of a man and a woman” and then goes home to treat his own wife in a regressive way.
• Apart from these, the movie has also covered a lot of important aspects like sex, table manners, and in general freedom of a woman and male privilege.
  Coming to the actors, all actors in the movie have done their role in no less than perfection. That’s all that has to be said about the acting. Just plain simple perfect.
  Overall, the movie is a slap on the face of the patriarchal society and doest mince words or beat around the bush. Straight to the point from the start.