Indore: Multi-pronged action, efficient use key to tackle scarcity: Expert

Indore: Former chief chemist with Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board, Dr Gunwant Joshi said that production output on the use of one metre cube water by Indian industries was only of seven dollars against around 445 dollars in the United States and other western counterparts.

Addressing a programme organised by Water and Lake Conservation Committee (Indore) to observe World Water Day on Thursday, Dr Gunwant Joshi said “Not only water harvesting and conservation of water bodies but efficient use of water too is necessary to check wastage of water that leads to crisis, especially during summer days. We will have to take action in multiple fronts at the same time or situation like Cape Town is not far away from our cities.”

In a shocking revelation, Dr Joshi said that India has spent more than Rs 2.93 lakh crore in bringing water to cities from rivers since Independence and despite witnessing swift advancement in technology the country is lagging behind small countries like South Korea and Thailand in efficient use of water.

“Israel has less water sources than us but still they do not have water scarcity due to efficient use of water and good practices of not to waste even a drop,” he added. Meanwhile, hydro geologist Sudhindra Mohan Sharma in his address emphasised on community participation in water conservation and said that the city needed to prepare a “plan B” for facing the situation if no rains take place.

“We should increase community participation and also, work on varied plans to save water for water scarcity never takes place,” he said while giving the examples of Halma project in Jhabua.

Hydro geologist Tapash Saraswati too discussed the urgency of water conservation and informed about four aces including artificial recharging, rainwater harvesting, judicial use of water, and recycling of waste water. Large number of water conservationists and nature volunteers including Padmashree Bhalu Mondhe, Megha Burvey, Deepa Dubey, Bhanu Patel, Satish Sharma, Awadh Kishore Chaudhary and Nilesh Pokharna shared their suggestions at the event.

‘Encroachment from water bodies should be removed’

Discussing the necessary steps of conservation, water conservationist Noor Mohammed Qureshi suggested that Indore Municipal Corporation should remove encroachments from the lakes and other water bodies as they have been removing them from various areas in the city.

He also suggested collection of surface water from roads into well to reuse it later. “Today, all the surface water goes into drain and thus got wasted,” he said.

Training for plumbers and builders

Chairman of Water and Lake Conservation Committee and MiC member Balram Verma said that the corporation will soon organise a plumbers training programme to teach them putting separate lines for drain water and roof water and how to work on water recharging systems. “Similarly, we will soon issue some guidelines for the builders as well to ensure water harvesting and recycling during construction of apartments,” Verma said.