The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : Timely warning

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Mar 30, 2006

Opinion

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Timely warning

The editorial `Making water a basic right' (March 29) is a timely warning to poor and developing nations. Water is a natural resource that must be collectively owned and enjoyed. The national policy on water should be based on conservation and protection of the environment. The end-users and civil society should take part in planning, management, and control of this precious resource.

T. Marx,
Karaikal, Pondicherry

True, privatisation of water supply is not the answer to scarcity. Such an important function ought to be in the hands of the government.

Suresh Manoharan,
Hyderabad

This refers to the article, `India's water and sanitation challenges' (March 22) by David C. Mulford. More than 30 million people of our country earn less than a dollar a day. Leave aside purchasing water, they are unable to feed themselves properly. In such circumstances, Mr. Mulford's suggestion in favour of private-public partnerships for improving water availability is fraught with danger. As pointed out in the article, `Privatisation: come hell or high water' (March 22), the privatisation of water, wherever attempted, has been a source of controversy.

K.S.V.V.N.S.V. Prasad,
Rajahmundry, A.P.

Even in the jungle, animals have to fight for access to the water hole. In organised human habitations, water supply costs money and cannot be considered a right. Let us stop fooling ourselves that mouthing platitudes will bring an assured supply of clean drinking water to everyone.

S. Balasubramanian,
Chennai

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