The Hindu 23.03.2017
Call for reviving rainwater harvesting structures
For a cause:Students taking out a rally in Madurai on Wednesday to mark World Water Day.Photo: S. JamesS_James
Collective efforts must to save waterbodies, say experts on World Water Day
Rallies and awareness campaigns marked the World Water Day
celebrations in the city with the Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao leading
the residents to preserve waterbodies and revive rainwater harvesting
structures.
The Confederation of Indian Industry, Yi Madurai
chapter, Madurai Corporation along with Rotary Club of Madurai Central,
Nativelead Foundation and various other outfits jointly organised World
Water Day 2017 awareness campaign on Wednesday
.
After inaugurating a RWH structure on Gandhi Museum campus, the
Collector flagged off a rally in which over 2,000 students participated.
In his address, Mr. Rao said there was an urgent need to implement RWH
system in independent houses, residential apartments and commercial
undertakings, if rainwater has to be preserved. “Only when there was
participation from the community, the project would be a success…” he
stressed and appealed to the youngsters to campaign for rainwater
harvesting.
Corporation Commissioner Sandeep Nanduri, Deputy Commissioner S. Shanthi also participated in the rally along with the students.
CII
Madurai zone chairman P. Srinivasavaradhan said that Madurai city has
around 45 water tanks, linked to the Vaigai river. However, many among
these tanks faced challenges of encroachment, dumping of waste, and
looked for upkeep. The CII would support every initiative to keep these
tanks clean and free from encroachment. Vijaya Darshan Jeevagan
,
Chair, Yi Madurai Chapter welcomed the gathering. Sivarajah, co-founder
Native Angel Network, D. Gunasekar, co chair, Yi Madurai Chapter spoke.
Water
experts working with NGOs said that the watertable in the city was
alarmingly falling at an all-time low due to various factors. The
pollution levels and encroachment of waterbodies had to be addressed to
save the city from turning into a desert. Despite digging beyond
500-foot depth there was either no water or very little water emerged at
many locations in the city according to a recent study, they shared on
the occasion.
Vaananbaa, Rainstock,
Palakarangal and other NGOs and volunteers participated in the campaign
held throughout the day in different parts of the city.
