This Sunday, the 22nd of March is World Water Day. Awareness activities about lowering global water crisis & optimum use and maximum preservation of water is done by the Government and NGOs every year across the Globe since 1993.
Antonio Guterres, General Secretary, UN has given out his message for World Water Day. He said, “The world’s water resources are under unprecedented threat. Today, some 2.2 billion people lack safe drinking water and 4.2 billion people live without access to adequate sanitation. Unless we act with urgency, the impacts of climate change are projected to exacerbate these figures. By 2050, between 3.5 and 4.4 billion people will live with limited access to water, with more than 1 billion of them living in cities… I call on all stakeholders to increase climate action and invest in robust adaptation measures for water sustainability. By limiting global heating to 1.5 degrees Celsius, the world will be in a much better position to manage and solve the water crisis that we all face”
Every year, social activities and lectures on water management, conservation and preservation would be made around the world but due to the COVID-19 Outbreak this year that is being shelved.
In India, we have been advised to remain indoors on Sunday. This year, for awareness about Water on World Water Day, we don’t need to go and attend seminars or talks. If you turn a few leaves of our recent history and you will know what and what not to do with this precious resource.
Do you love Chennai? Have you been there? Chennai is one of India’s most promising cities for many reasons- The capital of Tamil Nadu is the home of Tamil Cinema and celebrities, has emerged as a leading IT Hub, and is called as the Detroit of India due to the many automobile manufacturing plants it has there. Hyundai, Renault-Nissan, Ford, GM Motors and much more manufacture their cars there.
The city is home to Chennayin F.C. and the Chennai Super Kings. National Football and Cricket Tournaments have taken the city by storm and Chennai remains one of India’s soulful cities.
But in-between April to August 2019, the city struggled to find water in its 4 reservoirs- Poondi, Cholavaram, Redhills and Chembarambakkam. The ground water sources ran dry. For almost 170 straight days, millions of people who live in Chennai suffered the snare of drought that drew the eyes of the nation and beyond.
The poor folks of Chennai who depended on water tanker trucks started to look for rain but sadly monsoon was not arriving soon. Water Lorries that supplied water had to find some source in other villages and scaled-up their charges to deliver water in the city. Hospitals, Hotels, Hostels and Homes were affected by water-scarcity. A year ago, the city flooded but in 2019 there was a drought.
Man made Climate Change nearly scorched the entire Chennai. The world started speaking about Chennai’s plight. Around 12 IT Companies in Chennai ordered their employees to Work from Home due to non-availability of fresh water to use in the office premises. Residents who waited for lorries to bring water received water finally after the Government announced that through Trains. In 50 wagons, 2.5 million liters of water was brought and it was a brief relief. But today, those days of tribulations don’t immediately come to the minds of any of us when we waste water. A report from NITI Ayog said that 40 percent of India’s population will have no access to drinking water by 2030.
But the same year (2019), Coimbatore was blessed with more than 750 mm of rainfall in the rainy season. We have adequate water resources, wonderful administration and technology. Many areas in the city is seen with a barricade “Work for CCMC 24/7 Water Project Going On”, as a part of the smart-city project and it is good thing.
Early this year, 20 NGOs who dredged the water bodies in the district and helped in preserving were identified by Siruthuli and in a special event Maamalai Potrudhum, they were honored.
During the announcement of the event Vanitha Mohan, Managing Trustee, Siruthuli said, “17 years ago, Kurichi Kulam was like a cricket stadium. People from Kinathukadavu and Pollachi said that if this water body (Kurichi Lake) is dredged and preserved, it would help the next 25 kms to have good amount of ground water levels. With support of like-minded people and government, we stepped in to make Kurichi Lake better. Now we could see that it has become fit enough to sail boats.” She wished that more hands like these 20 organizations join to make it fit enough to make the next generations swim in it.
Like Siruthuli, there are plenty of other organizations in the city that take part in water body preservation. Sravan Kumar, Corporation Commissioner, Coimbatore underlined that the Corporation has adopted 9 lakes in Coimbatore and is focused on rejuvenating and restoring it via solution provided by Engineering and the Ecology, during a college event held on February 2020 in Covai.
All the initiatives of GOVERNMENT and NGOs could not become a success if WE don’t act responsibly. Everyone has to come together. You may be an industrialist, a Govt.Servant, a private employee; we who have tasted the sweet Siruvani should meet a sour encounter with drought in the coming years. Covai has not had a scenario that happened in Chennai, and let us keep it that way.
Today, we hear from a neighbour to a doctor saying “wash your hands well with soap and water” Fortunately there is water still for us to use. Imagine another pandemic coming in future and there is no water for us to wash hands! We will suffer either by floods or drought induced by climate change. If water disappears, Humans would too.
Take a pledge to use Water responsibly & Educate the Next Generation. Save Earth, Save Humanity.Use Water responsibly, Educate the Next Generation. Save Earth.