The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : `Nobody has the right to sell water'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 28, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

`Nobody has the right to sell water'

Staff Reporter

Educate our future leaders about the disadvantages of privatisation of water: Shivarudrappa

WATERCOLOUR: Poet G.S. Shivarudrappa and artist Krishna Shetty at an exhibition of paintings in Bangalore on Tuesday. — Photo: Bhagya Prakash K.

BANGALORE: "Private companies cannot take control of our water supply. Water is a natural resource just like air. Nobody has the right to sell it," reads the bottom line of a watercolour painting by S. Pralahad and V. Rama, sixth standard students of Sri Veeravhadreshwara Swamy High School at Vibhutipura in Annasandrapalya.

This is one of the 450 watercolour works by students of 15 government schools in the city against privatisation of water.

Inchara, an organisation for activism through culture, inaugurated a two-day exhibition of these paintings at the Bal Bhavan here on Tuesday.

Unfortunate

Paintings by L. Prakash and Prabhakar, students of ninth standard, HAL Boys' High School, Vimanapura, depict that it is unfortunate for the people to buy tanker water.

"We do not know whether people can fetch water from mini water schemes or public taps after private companies take control of water supply," Prabhakar said when asked to explain the theme of his painting.

Kshitj Urs from Inchara told The Hindu that students of various schools were only informed about the Government's moves to privatise water. "Though we had a four-month awareness campaign, we only encouraged them to think about the issue. We never told them about its disadvantages. Yet, they have clearly depicted every aspect of privatisation of water through paintings. Though all are wonderful pieces, we have chosen 20 of them and printed postcards using them. These cards will be used to spread the campaign," he said.

"Children and young people are rarely consulted when important issues that affect them are being decided. Cultural activists from Inchara planned the campaign to counter this. It is unfortunate that water supply has been privatised in Hubli-Dharwad, Gulbarga and Belgaum. We will shortly organise similar exhibitions in these cities too," he said.

Condemned

Rastrakavi G.S. Shivarudrappa, who inaugurated the event, condemned the Government's move to privatise water.

"Water and air are our natural resources and it is the obligatory duty of the Government to supply water free of cost. By privatising supply of water, the Government is actually trying to shun its responsibility," he said.

He lauded Inchara's efforts in organising the event by involving children.

"It is essential to educate our future leaders about the disadvantages of privatisation of water. This effort should be supported by one and all," he said.

Artist C.G. Krishna Shetty spoke.

The painting exhibition will be open between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.

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