Tamil Nadu - Madurai   

Rs.1,000-crore project mooted to restore various water bodies

MADURAI: A Rs.1,000-crore project to revive and restore 2,000-odd water bodies lying in the Gundar River Basin has been proposed to the Government.

It aims to involve all stakeholders, including local people, industries, Government, academia and development organisations, P. Vasimalai, Executive Director of Development of Humane Action (DHAN) Foundation, has said.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday to mark the inauguration of ‘Madurai Symposium 2007,’ he said, “All the tanks, ponds and rivers in this rain-fed basin, which stretches till Ramanathapuram, are integrated. This project will run for about 20 years as sustained action is needed to preserve water bodies.”

A bi-annual event which began in 2003, the symposium is envisaged as a development arena in which stakeholders of development-community institutions, Government, NGOs, financial institutions and academia could converge.

This year’s discussions will revolve around protecting water resources during the six-day event.

K.S. Neelakantan, Director, Department of Environment, said that the debates would be held in two parallel tracks: one involving farmers and the other technical experts. More than 2,000 farmers were participating in the programme. Eight programmes will be running concurrently during the day. “Integrated water saving models are on the display for farmers. Representatives from international organisations will deliver lectures on safe drinking water practices.”

Camille Dow Baker of the Canada-based Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation said that her demonstrations would revolve around how to make drinking water safe using simple techniques.

“The process being done in water treating facilities can be done at home by simple methods,” she said.

B.T. Bangera, Managing Director, Hi-Tech Arai, said that this symposium was a holistic effort to preserve the environment.

N. Markandan, former Vice-Chancellor of Gandhigram University, said that illegal sand mining was adversely affecting the environment and it should be checked.

A four-day water festival ‘Water and People’ will begin on Monday. An exhibition, featuring products of women SHGs is also being held.

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