The Hindu : Front Page : `Water literacy should be new mantra'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005

Front Page

Front Page

`Water literacy should be new mantra'

A. A. Michael Raj

COIMBATORE: After the literacy movement that brought enlightenment to many people, the country needs a National Water Literacy Movement to ensure that all citizens had access to adequate drinking water.

Expanding on this theme at a recent training programme on groundwater flow and management of aquifers, the Vice-Chancellor, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), C. Ramasamy said the movement should consider the following points:

Collect every drop of water and use it for raising `more crop per drop'.

Treat all wasted water and use it to supplement groundwater and surface water resources.

Ensure that drinking water is not polluted.

Make people aware that holy rivers, reservoirs, lakes and tanks are `gifts of God' to the Earth, which should remain pure without being polluted.

Manage groundwater and surface water so that supplies are always in an equitable manner through regulation, education and social mobilisation.

"Indiscriminate development and unscientific management of water resources have led to multiple problems of decline in groundwater level, sea water ingress, inland salinity, groundwater pollution and land subsidence," Prof. Ramasamy said.

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