New Delhi’s water crisis spotlights threat to India’s booming economy as climate change takes toll

India’s capital, New Delhi is caught in two extremes of a water crisis.

Days after Delhi Water Minister Atishi launched a hunger strike to protest against an acute water shortage due to a heatwave, a sudden downpour flooded the capital’s streets last week and brought an airport roof terminal crashing down.

It was ironic that Atishi, who was hospitalised after her strike, now has her hands full dealing with excess rainwater. As climate change triggers more erratic weather, analysts say Delhi’s plight highlights a key challenge for India’s booming economy – water management.

Months earlier, India’s technology hub Bengaluru was plunged into an unprecedented water shortage crisis. Experts blamed it on rampant construction of houses and building of industries that have stretched the city’s resources.

A report by international ratings agency Moody’s stated late last month: “India is facing a growing water shortage as water consumption increases amid rapid economic growth and increasingly frequent natural disasters due to climate change.”

The severity and frequency of extreme weather events due to climate change would exacerbate the situation because India heavily relied on the monsoon, or the June-September season that brought 70 per cent of the country’s rainfall, the agency warned.

Rising sea temperatures, leading to a narrowing gap with temperatures over land, are weakening the monsoon’s circulation. More cities and towns could follow Bengaluru and Delhi’s crisis unless authorities prioritise water conservation over development, analysts say.

“The water crisis in Delhi and Bengaluru suggests a looming national issue. Rapid urbanisation, inadequate infrastructure, and climate change impact water availability,” said Anjal Prakash,