Water availability and recharge are expected to be highly vulnerable to climate change. Fluctuation in rainfall will lead to instability in the country's water supply. Besides, climate change may also worsen water pollution.

• According to M Lal of Centre for Atmospheric Sciences, iit , Delhi, Indian winters may experience a decline of five to 25 per cent in rainfall. This could lead to drought during dry summer months.

• Lal predicts that the date of the onset of the summer monsoon over central India could become more variable in future. More intense rainfall spells are projected in a warmer atmosphere.

• If rainfall decreases, water flow of rain-fed rivers will decrease. This will affect groundwater recharge (see graph: Erratic rains) .

• Increase in rainfall might aggravate flood situations, bringing destruction and disease.

• Since 1871, at least half the severe failures of the Indian summer monsoons have occurred in years of El Ni