dug wells and millions of shallower tube wells have already dried up, "bringing a spate of suicides among those who rely on them". Another consequence is electricity blackouts, reaching "epidemic proportions" in some Indian states where half of the power is used to pump water from up to a kilometre down. To counter the water crisis, some states are placing small dams across river beds in a bid to replenish groundwater by infiltration, and Hindu priests are organising farmers to capture monsoon rains in ponds, the report said. But the Indian government has gone cool on a proposed $200 billion River Interlinking Project to redistribute water round the country. "In any case, the water supplied would probably come too late," New Scientist said.
