The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : How to save those precious drops

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 23, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

How to save those precious drops

Staff Reporter

Legislator offers tips to children

BUDDING TALENT: At an exhibition of drawings by children of government schools in Bangalore on Thursday. — Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

BANGALORE: Legislator Krishna Byre Gowda stole the hearts of children gathered to celebrate the World Water Day here on Thursday and conducted an exhilarating class on their role in protection of environment as they grow. One missed a blackboard and a chalk piece.

Society for Voluntary Action Revitalisation and Justice (SVARAJ) had organised the programme that featured an exhibition of drawings on environment by children of government schools.

He began with a frank admission: "We grown-ups cannot do anything to improve the situation. Instead we are going to spoil it further. So who can do something about it?"

"We can," the children chorused.

Explaining the situation in the neighbouring Kolar district, he pointed out that people had to drill down to 1,000 ft. to get drinking water. "Have you ever thought of what 1,000 ft. can mean?" There was silence. He asked: "How tall are you?" One child said: "Three feet." Mr. Byre Gwda said "A thousand is the total height of 330 children like you."

The MLA from Vemgal constituency said Mother Earth was no longer a Kamadhenu and did not have too much of water to offer.

"Twenty-five lakh people in Kolar are not able to comprehend this." But children should become the "soldiers of environment" and stop their parents from cutting trees. "Will you?" The children chorused again: "We will, we will."

If nothing, the legislator raised their awareness of the water crisis.

Earlier, he and Minister for Women and Child Welfare Minister, H.K. Kumaraswamy inaugurated an exhibition of drawings by select government schools.

V.T. Kale, president of Karnataka Lalitha Kala Academy, spoke. Bharti Patel, Director of SVARAJ, attended.

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