World Water Day-2013 observed by SEVAI in Trichy

Open pits dug for locating water in low-lying Sirugamani

World Water Day-2013 observed by SEVAI in Arumbuhalnagar Community Centre, Trichy. Women Self help group members of SEVAI and SEVAI Water and Sanitation Group members in large scale participated in World Water Day program.Mrs.Chitra Balasubramanian, Project officer of SEVAI welcomed the gathering and she highlighted the salient feature of importance of the observance of World Water Day.  Mrs.Chitra Balasubramanian further said, “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 based on the recommendations of United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED at their 1992 Conference, subsequently the United Nations General Assembly responded by designating 22 March as the World Water Day.K.Govindaraju,Chairman,South Zone Board of Continuing Education in his key note address mentioned, “UN-Water has called upon UNESCO to lead the 2013 International Year of Water Cooperation in view of the organization’s mufti-dimensional mandate in the realm of natural and social sciences, culture, education and communication, and its significant and long-standing contribution to the management of the world’s freshwater resources. Each year, World Water Day highlights a specific aspect of freshwater. In 2013, in reflection of the International Year of Water Cooperation, World Water Day is also dedicated to the theme of cooperation around water. The fulfillment of basic human needs, our environment, socio-economic development and poverty reduction are all heavily dependent on water. Good management of water is especially challenging due to some of its unique characteristics: it is unevenly distributed in time and space, the hydrological cycle is highly complex and perturbations have multiple effects. In designating 2013 as the UN International Year of Water Cooperation, we need to recognize that cooperation as essential to strike a balance between the different needs and priorities and share this precious resource equitably, using water as an instrument of peace. Promoting water cooperation implies an interdisciplinary approach bringing in cultural, educational and scientific factors, as well as religious, ethical, social, political, legal, institutional and economic dimensions. In the context of Tamilnadu, this region is reeling under drought this year 2013 as there is no water release from Karnataka to Tamilnadu and also due to the failure of the monsoon. The ground water has gone deep and drinking water is also a challenge even in Cauvery delta. Normal low-lying area of Trichy is also facing severe drought and people need to dig deep pools even to get drinking water for cattle and also provide lifeline water for the standing banana crops. The situation becomes worse as diesel cost had gone up steeply and lift irrigation becomes very costly. Two decades back, people drink potable water available in hand pumps; now the drinking water needs to be bought from water companies where around 40% of the Indian population live under poverty line.Waterday for the common man will be meaningful when he/she gets fresh water at free of cost as they received a few decades back in Tamilnadu, K.Govindaraju concluded by appreciating the political will of Government of Tamilnadu for getting water through justice and certain measures of rain water harvesting etc” -Govin