‘Challenges of urban water management -world water day’ -2011 by SEVAI.

Trichy 22, March: International World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. ‘The challenges of urban water management are a crisis management strategy that draws together all facets of water cycle viz. water supply, sewage and storm water management to integrate strong social, economic and environmental development. The urban water management essentially provides for effectiveness in water saving, equity in water sharing and delivery efficiency followed by sustainable use of available water resources. Thus there is a need for the integrated policy and planning for appropriate use of river, ground, rain and sea water, sewage and other water resources. We take this day to renew our commitment to achieving our vision - the day when everyone in the world can take a safe drink of water, but also to celebrate our progress over nearly 15 years of bringing 100,000 people clean water and sanitation in Trichy and its neighborhood districts’ said by Dr.K.Govindaraju, Chairman South Zone Board of Continuing Education while addressing the bare foot multipurpose urban works and volunteers of water sanitation committees promoted by user groups SHGs Federation of Trichy urban areas in function organized in SEVAI in commemoration of world waterday-2011’.‘WORLD Water Day is being observed today with a view to creating awareness about clean water for healthy world.  ‘If wastage of water continues, then by 2025, there will be acute scarcity of water, forcing people to stand in queue to get the rationed out water. Drinking Water had become so scarce it is important to protect water sources, prevent pollution in them, removal of encroachments on irrigation channels, prevent over exploitation of ground water, recycle used water and use the defunct deep bore wells for storing rain water. The other objective of World Water Day 2011 is to focus international attention on the impact of rapid urban population growth, industrialization and uncertainties caused by climate change, conflicts and natural disasters on urban water systems. We need to focus attention on the importance of fresh water and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. NGOs and statutory and international organizations are mostly are celebrating World Water Day. An international day to celebrate freshwater was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating 22 March 1993 as the first World Water Day. Each year, World Water Day highlights a specific aspect of freshwater. Every government needs to ensure that its citizens have adequate water needed to lead a healthy, happy and productive life. As a country’s population and economy grows the national demand for freshwater increases. Hence the need for a country to ensure that there is enough freshwater to meet the needs of all. However, in most cases, available freshwater is not evenly distributed and often not appropriately managed. As a result protocols and other relevant bilateral and multilateral agreements have been signed by countries to ensure that proper measures for sharing and managing this valuable resource are put in place. Globally, pollution figures are alarming the course of action to preserve our clean water sources. Every day reports show that 2 million tones of human waste are disposed into water sources. In developing countries, about 70 % of untreated industrial wastes are dumped into waterways, polluting the usable water supply’, Chairman of Chairman South Zone Board of Continuing Education added.

‘It is further reported that since 1900 to date, half of the world’s wetlands have been lost, our principal source of renewable freshwater. One can thus infer that by the end the 2000 millennium, all the wetlands would be dried off by our own doings. It thus presents a challenge for to all human kind to be responsible and care for our water sources. Water and sanitation targets feature under environmental sustainability, the update is also the first to confirm longstanding fears that the explosion of urban populations in poorer countries is too fast for municipal authorities to keep up. Caring for this through efficient use of fresh water, rain water harvesting, and water recycling where possible as well as careful disposal of all waste material. Putting an end to the deterioration of trans-boundary wetland ecosystems is critical for securing a stable supply of water. Climate change also impact on water resources and their management. Very high temperatures influence the change in rainfall patterns, increasing the risks of floods, droughts and other water related disasters in many areas in all countries sharing water courses. Also it influences occurrence of acid rains which adversely affect the crop productivity levels and later impact on food security; consolidated Dr.K.Govindaraju.Mrs.P.Chitra presided over the function and she addressed that SEVAI has imparted training to around 10,000 women in Trichy urban areas on water and sanitation and school sanitation in urban areas are given top priority.Mrs.P.Vanitha proposed vote of thanks.EtNS.

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