There are talks all around Mumbai on the pressing need for celebrating a dry holi as certain regions of Maharashtra are facing severe drought. Celebrities are urging their fans for the same and several housing societies have issued such a diktat.
It is good to have such awareness; just that it need not be event or location specific and should not be short-lived.
Maharashtra Govt. has imposed tax on certain commodities like alcohol, gold to realize revenue for assisting the drought prone areas. While such measures may be required as a one-time, government and public policy needs to be much more proactive on this issue.
Water scarcity is a problem which is much deeper and severe than we would like to imagine. 22 Mar was celebrated as World Water Day.
Recently, Mint released this article based on ADB’s report reflecting India’s dismal state in water security (which is what led me to write this blog):
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India scores pretty low on all the parameters…..comparison being made to countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan.
With a huge population as ours and as widely spread, the problem becomes even multifold.
Lot of things to be done:
- Can corporates work on this area as part of their CSR initiative?
- Waste water treatment needs to be mandatory for industrial units.
- Govt. needs to ensure significant penalties for disposing industrial waste in the water bodies. Needs to be taken at the Central level and followed by states.
- Rain water harvesting mandatory for all new residential, commercial and govt. buildings and if feasible, at the time of renovation
- My brother did ensure our new house meets this criterion 6 yrs back.
- At an individual level, could we be more prudent in utilizing water.
- It is high time to realize that just because we are paying for water, power and staying in the big cities, we are not feeling the pinch of the drought, water cut. But it is our moral responsibility towards the folks staying in interiors of India and a duty towards our dear kids that we spare the environment for them to relish its joys.
- In buildings, townships where there is significant usage of water, drinking water and water for other purposes could be separately provided.
- Could we boycott people who treat these natural resources at their mercy – recent wastage of water by Asaram Bapu in Nagpur?
- Can there be a nationwide debate on this topic ensuring all sections of society participate and find solutions. MNRE is celebrating Water Week in April with the same agenda -http://www.indiawaterweek.in/
It’s time to act now to avoid saying in future,
“Water, water everywhere..not a drop to drink.”
Would like to leave you with these thoughts penned well by my father (srmohata@gmail.com):
Welcome your views and suggestions!
