Desalinating sea-water: A big bang reform for economic revival

The health-crisis occasioned nation-wide lockdown is yet to be lifted. However, one need not be a rocket-scientist to decipher that the Indian economy is in shambles and economic outlook for the entire financial year has already received a battering. The silver lining is that the event has shaken up fixated notions to an extent that nothing seems impossible. Translated in economic terms, the projects which earlier appeared impractical, in a role-reversal, can become the order of the day, especially bold and gigantic economic projects. This article implores on one such ultra-mega project which is capable of pioneering economic activity across a variety of sectors and simultaneously generating massive employment opportunities, equally for the white-collar and the blue-collar. Desalinate sea-water and supply it to the hinterlands. Neither from the look or sound of it this project appears to quench the quest for such big-bang reform. However, as is demonstrated here, the time for ripe for its implementation. 

There are international examples where huge regions survive solely on desalinated sea-water. In fact, countries like Kuwait, Israel, almost exclusively source potable water from the desalination process. The proliferation of this technology is also rampant across large regions, such as and Singapore, California, Perth, etc. A 2015 paper published in the MIT Technology Review made a compelling case to highlight that seawater desalination is perhaps the only futuristic response to the growing demand for potable water. Massive investment and economic costs are cited to reject forward movement in this direction. However, those very reasons which earlier worked for repelling the proposal, now make it an irresistible choice. 

It is a known fact that desalinating sea water to make it potable is an expensive proposition. This is exactly why this idea is worth doing in today’s economic paradigm as it, let’s call it the desalination project, shall entail huge investments by the Government in diverse sectors. Firstly, in solar energy front, by establishing floating solar panels across vast stretches of oceans to energise the desalination process. This will also mean consistent demand for electricity, and thus translate into economies-of-scale for this struggling industry. Secondly, massive demand build-up for cement, iron and steel and other infrastructure goods, needed for laying down huge pipelines across State frontiers for transporting treated sea-water. Such pipelines already exist for oil and natural gas, and thus there are precedents. Thirdly, linking the desalination project with the ongoing inter-linking of rivers will spur the demand across other related sectors. The scope of inter-linking process can be expanded by including within its ambit dredging of dried up distributaries, desilting the existing water-channels and provisioning smaller canals to ensure that the desalinated water reaches every local area.

The desalination project has massive potential to further integrate the topographical spread and reduce regional inequities. For example, treated water from the coast of Gujarat can be brought to drier States, such as Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi and others in North India. Similarly treated water from West Bengal can be brought to parched areas in eastern states like Bihar, Jharkhand, etc. Desalinated water from Odisha would supplement the water requirement for MP and Jharkhand, etc. Furthermore, areas with acute water shortage within the coastal States, such as Maharashtra, Andhra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, etc. can be supplied water from the desalinated plant within their respective States. Calibrated through dedicated SPVs across different regions, working in tandem with municipalities and other local bodies, to finetune the supply network, an all-India level desalination project augers well with the flagship program of the Union Jal Shakti Ministry to provide clean drinking water till the last mile. 

Considering its sheer size, the desalination project will generate massive employment opportunities. Whether it be by collaborating in public-private partnership, or by the public health department in form of large-scale recruitment of engineers (across various streams), construction workers, besides wide-ranging allied occupation and fields, there will be an overwhelming demand for both skilled and unskilled manpower. 

A crucial challenge in the design would be ensuring that the desalination project is not rendered cyclic and instead operates perennially, across the year, though in suitable moderation tied up to the seasonal rains. One way to achieve this, which can also reduce the costs to some extent, is by feeding the seasonal rivers and canals with the pipelines, which will ultimately converge in the mainstream rivers. This will ensure that the traditional irrigation channels are not disturbed, while at the same time supplementing the water-flow in the rivers, thus addressing the vagaries of monsoon. At the cost of repetition, pursued alongside interlinking of rivers, the desalination project can be modelled in a fashion that dedicated water-hubs are created across the length and breadth of the country which will obviate water-related regional disparities.  

The desalination project is replete with positive after-effects. Perennial and assured water-supply will render moot the crop-failures linked to irrigation woes. In fact, this will permit multiple crop plantations across the year, thereby, also in a sense addressing the target of doubling farmer income. Arid regions and depleting green cover, would also be unwitting beneficiaries.  

Before embarking on such a project, however, it must be unfailing appreciated by the policy-makers that there cannot be any half-hearted attempts in such expeditions. At any rate massive projects like nation-wide desalination cannot be undertaken, not even in parts, by private players or even large corporations. This is so on account of huge investments which are required coupled with lack of immediate and attractive returns, which are necessary to excite private participation. This does not imply that the project should be entirely undertaken by the Government as part of its socio-welfare obligations. Instead, multiple avenues should be created to obtain benefit of private initiative and expertise by suitable revenue modelling of the various parts of the grand design. Nonetheless the Government will have to be the lead driver in this strive to push desalination. 

In the current economic paradigm, selection of alternatives towards economic revival must be made basis three crucial touchstone; (a) creating employment opportunities, (b) addressing inequities which have permeated this country; and (c) setting into motion a series of events which will have a domino effect so as to fast-track economic demand and supply. The simple yet massive desalination project is one such idea which not just overwhelms other alternatives on economic potential but is also a path-breaker in terms of socio-welfare programs. Once a dream, electrification of every village is already a reality. Successful implementation of desalination project translates into perpetual availability of clean drinking water for every household. Thus, in the short term the desalination project is an immediate boost to address the growing unemployment and arresting receding economic growth while in the long term, attaining another frontier on the welfare agenda. The existing MGNREGA schemes, CSR activities, NGO guidelines, etc. can be suitability tweaked so as to institute the desalination project within the national mainstream. For that matter, considering its wide-ranging benefits, this project can be modelled as a mission in itself with a catchy tune of Pradhan Mantri Samudra se Jal Yogna. It would perhaps also be an apt tribute to the Mahatma whose walk to desalination is a vivid national memory.