Opinion: Small savings holds good not only for money\, but in water management too

As Coleridge rightly lamented water, water, everywhere not a drop to drink!  That situation is fast approaching if we do not follow the path laid by Surti, the water ambassador of India. He has been meticulously identifying places where there is wastage of water and taking action to arrest it. Surti, born in Gujarat, says he grew up on a platform and experienced difficulty in procuring water. He is a writer cartoonist and a painter. He has invested his own money in this noble campaign. He says if he sees a drop of water dropping dead from a tap it hits him hard and he cannot rest unless he sets it right.

What started as a small gesture visiting friend’s places with a plumber to set right leaky taps has now grown into a passion and mission. His mission of drop dead water conservation since 2007 has saved nearly twenty million litres of water. He is truly water Ambassador of India and whatever money he gets through awards he ploughs it back to widen his mission.

This 84-year-old ‘young’ man visits schools and colleges to sensitise youth. He says if one pursues a noble cause full of love for society God becomes the fund raiser to fulfill the mission. His life is a living example. Our major sources of water

Gangotri in Himalayas is the source of holiest of holi rivers Ganga. Other major rivers which flow from the Himalayas are Kosi, Gagra, Yamuna Manas, Teesta, Saradha and so on, a total of fourteen rivers. Major rivers in the south are Krishna, Godavari, Cauvery, Palar, Pennar and sixteen such rivers.

A project to link all these thirty or more rivers would truly solve the problem of floods and drought which many parts of the Indian peninsula face years on end.

All such big projects have to contend with possible ecological imbalances, damage to flora, fauna and displacement of people. This is ideal fodder for local politicians and self-styled activists to engineer mass protests and stall implementation. For example, the construction of  Sardar Sarovar Dam over river Narmada had to go through long period of stagnation, but a determined Gujarat administration saw it through and this has brought prosperity to many parts of arid Gujarat. An intelligent river linking project was evolved by Professor Kamaraj, himself an engineer, which in simple terms is a flood water harvesting concept where  contour shaped water ways built at a height of 250 mean sea level (MSL) would prevent flood waters draining into the sea. The proposal is to link all the west to east flowing rivers to this water grid which does not use pump to lift water but uses only gravity flow. The canal 120 metres wide and 10 metres deep would also serve as inland waterway. Former President Dr Abdul Kalam spoke highly of this project which was meticulously formulated with help of over hundred engineers covering major rivers in the country. This needs an investment of several thousand crores of rupees and a huge political will to take up the project for implementation. Given such constraints in river linking projects, which of course has to be taken up at some stage, what is prudent now is optimum utilisation of this scarce resource.

It is heartening to note that the water from Amaravati dam constructed across Amaravati river 25 km south of Udumalpet near Coimbatore was prudently harnessed in the past six months to benefit farmers in Karur, Tirupur and Coimbatore districts. Water conserved and released at the right time was a timely help to farmers to grow crops post January this year.

Low cost check dams at convenient points to serve as a catchment area for the overflowing flood water is another workable solution to conserve water. In cities with continued dry spell there is pressure on drawing ground water which has already depleted to negligible level. Many of the temple tanks which served as rain water collection points no longer could hold water as adjoining residential areas  continuously draw the ground water. It is now essential to augment the ground water table. Massive rain water harvesting wells have to be dug not just in individual houses but in public spaces where water stagnates during rainy season. Alongside we should think in terms of recycling treated grey water to augment the ground water table. This is where people-government partnership can fruitfully achieve the objective of harnessing and conserving precious water. Why cannot we in our surrounding be responsible and sensitive to such issues which ultimately impacts us? Resident welfare associations can play a useful role and prove how collective effort can spruce up the surroundings. There is need for initiative in laying rain water wells in public spaces which achieves twin objective of removal water stagnation and fulfils vital purpose of recharging ground water table.

Government departments should encourage this and facilitate cutting down red tape in according permission to such initiatives.

The Mission in Mylapore in Chennai is to have at least hundred wells in each of the seven wards. Water stagnation points have been identified and in these spots rain water harvesting wells are being dug. Work has begun but to harvest we need rain.

We have abused nature enough and it is time for us to repent and take remedial action and pray for rain.

It may be recalled that when Rajaji was the chief minister of Madras Presidency, the state faced acute drought during summer. Rajaji gave a call for collective prayers by all citizens irrespective of whichever faith they belonged to. Rationalists criticised him for such irrational call. But Rajaji was firm and people responded with collective prayers. Lo and behold! in severe summer the state had continuous rain for three days and all lakes and ponds were filled with water. It was a miracle which only faith and prayers can bring and it yielded positive results then.

There are more things wrought by prayer than Man dreams of. Let us sincerely pray to Rain God to shower His blessing on the parched land and save us from the looming water crisis.