Lanka rich in water resources

Disna MUDALIGE

Sri Lanka is placed in the category that has little or no water scarcity in the projected water scarcity map in 2025, even though one third of the world population live in basins that have to deal with water insufficiency, said International Water Management Institute Deputy Director General (Research) Dr. David Molden.

The projected map consists of four levels as 'physical water scarcity, approaching physical water scarcity, economic water scarcity and little or no water scarcity'. In this map Sri Lanka is in the final category although most of the countries around it belong to the other three categories.

He was delivering the keynote address at the inaugural ceremony of "National Forum on Water Research - Identification of Gaps and Priorities" organized by the National Science Foundation held at the Galadari Hotel yesterday.

Addressing the occasion Research and Technology Minister Prof. Tissa Vitarana noted that the next World War would be fought over water, and thus remaining in a secured position in this projected map might also be a threat to the national security of the country.

"World Wars had been fought over oil in the past. There is a possibility that a future world war will erupt over water. The situation becomes grave when we see that India and neighbouring countries around us are marked as countries with water scarcity in 2025" he said.

He also noted that being a country with no water scarcity would be of no use, if the water is highly polluted by various chemicals.

"Methods that use higher percentage of chemicals in agriculture are promoted and other methods are resented. Chemical input pollutes surface and groundwater.