India, Feb. 9 -- Is Tehran moving towards "zero-day"? I am not suggesting a possible US attack, but pointing to the unprecedented water stress that has gripped Iran's capital city. Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian recently declared that shifting the country's capital was no longer an option but a compulsion. The tragedy has been unfolding for quite some time. Snow in the Alborz mountain ranges is the source of Tehran's water supply. However, the centuries-old system is facing the threat of global warming. The quantum of snowfall has steadily reduced, leading to a decline in water supply. Meanwhile, the metropolis has expanded. People are indiscriminately exploiting groundwater, leading to land subsidence in many densely populated areas. The Tehran administration has installed smart meters to reduce water pressure in pipelines. But it's just a band-aid to deal with the crisis. If the situation persists, Tehran could become the second capital city in modern times to be abandoned. Indonesia's capital Jakarta is already in the midst of abandonment. Jakarta is shifting its offices to Nusantara in East Kalimantan province of Borneo Island due to water shortage. The reason is that the city can provide piped water to only 40% of its residents. Residents of Jakarta are dependent on groundwater. Due to overexploitation of groundwater, the city is sinking by 15 cm annually, and some parts of its northern areas are subsiding by 20-28 cm annually. While the city is sinking, the sea level is rising. Close to 40% of the city has been devoured by the sea. Estimates suggest that in the next 25 years, Jakarta will be completely submerged. In India, there are at least 21 cities facing acute water shortage. These include New Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Pune. Chennai, situated on the shores of the Bay of Bengal, suffered a zero-day-like situation in 2019. Trains from nearby areas were rushed to meet the water needs. Excessive groundwater exploitation may lead to similar situations in Bengaluru, Pune and Hyderabad. The groundwater table is receding, and land subsidence incidents are increasing. In Delhi, water rationing has been in place for years. Rohini township and many such residential areas are provided with water on specific days. There was a time when the city received 24/7 water supply. Now the Yamuna has so much ammonia that its water can't be used for human consumption. A large chunk of the population is dependent on water tankers. Ninety percent of Delhi's water needs are met by Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Delhi residents bear the brunt whenever these states are short of water. The central government has initiated many schemes like Atal Groundwater Scheme, river-linking programmes, rainwater harvesting, and the digital water grid. Through the Atal Groundwater Scheme, the government aims to promote people's participation in water supply. To raise people's awareness piezo meters have been installed in many cities. These meters offer the residents a real-time review of the decreasing groundwater levels in their area. Drip irrigation has been introduced from Israel to improve irrigation. Recycling is being initiated on a war footing to augment the daily supply. I would like to discuss the river-linking project. The moment Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office, he initiated the programme. In the first phase, efforts are on to connect the Ken and Betwa. However, many experts consider river-linking projects to be resource-intensive and time-consuming. Water scarcity is connected to climate and environmental degradation. Along with the entire world, India too is witnessing a quick deterioration of the environment. Like Iran's Alborz mountains, the Himalayas too are facing a depletion of snow cover. Decline in snowfall and increasing temperatures are melting the glaciers much faster than the natural cycle, putting stress on perennial rivers such as the Ganga, Yamuna, and the Sutlej. The climate crisis has disturbed the balance between summer, monsoon and winter. I was in Dehradun during the last Vasant Panchami. The Doon Valley in the Shivalik experienced heavy rain and a hailstorm that day, and nearby mountains received the season's first snowfall. Let me remind you that Vasant Panchami is the day people in northern India bid goodbye to winter. The bitter cold and snowfall on that day reminded me of a colleague's quip - the spring season is dead now. It may not be just the death of a season, but the tragic end of spring in our lives, too....