RACHNA

Mountains play a central role in collecting and storing water- the most important element for life on earth. More than half of the world's population is dependent on the freshwater that accumulates in mountain areas. All the major rivers of the world have their headwaters in the mountains such as the Himalayas. Three of the world's major river systems i.e. the Indus, the Ganga-Brahmaputra, and the Yangtze take birth in the Himalayas. Around 1.3 billion people live in the basin of these rivers.

The water yield for a given input of rainfall from the mountains, like Himalayan watersheds, depends on the quality of its forests. The declining health of the Himalayan watersheds has been resulting in water scarcity within the region as well as in the downstream areas. Upstream management of the watersheds strongly affects downstream uses of water resources. Well-managed watersheds contribute to soil erosion control and consequently in reducing the levels of sediments downstream. The poor health of the Himalayan watersheds results in floods during the monsoon season.

Careful management of the sources of water such as the Himalayas has become a global priority in a world moving towards a water crisis in 21st century. The following estimation highlighted by the World Water Council in its report in 1996 presents a terrifying situation of water availability in the world: "In 1950, only 12 countries with 20 million people - faced water shortages; by 1990 it was 26 countries with 300 million people; by 2050 it is projected to be as many as 65 countries with 7 billion people, or about 60 percent of the world's population, mainly in the developing countries".