COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF WATER DEMAND, SUPPLY DEFICIT, AND SUSTAINABLE MITIGATION STRATEGIES: A CASE STUDY OF CHOULDARI GRAM PANCHAYAT, SOUTH ANDAMAN

Water scarcity poses a critical challenge to rural communities in island ecosystems, where geographical isolation and seasonal hydrological variability constrain resource availability. This study presents an empirical analysis of water supply, demand dynamics, agricultural consumption, and future forecasting for Chouldari Gram Panchayat in the South Andaman District of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Drawing upon census data, hydrological assessments, and Geographic Information System (GIS) spatial mapping, this paper evaluates the current 61% potable water deficit and models future requirements up to the year 2050. A survey was carried out by Island Water Resource Research Center (IWRRC), a center established by Dr.B.R.Ambedkar Institute of Technology in the Panchayat. To bridge this demand-supply gap, a multi-phased mitigation framework is proposed, incorporating source augmentation, watershed development, and household-level grey water treatment using upflow-downflow filtration systems.