A rally organised by the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board (TWAD) to commemorate National Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation Awareness Week attracted hundreds of students in the city on Tuesday.
Students of Hindu Kalvi Nilayam, CSI Boys Higher Secondary School, AET Boys Higher Secondary School were joined by the members of women self-help groups and other sections of the public.
The students displayed placards describing the measures required to rid water of bacteria and other germs; the imperative need to conserve rainwater; and the importance of consuming boiled water. District Collector S. Prabakar flagged off the rally in the presence of Mayor P. Malliga Paramasivam, MPs S. Selvakumara Chinnaiyan and V. Sathyabama, and Modakurichi MLA V.P. Sivasubramani.
The event that should have taken place during March had to be postponed in Tamil Nadu since the model code of conduct was in place for Assembly polls.
On Wednesday, rallies will be conducted at the level of Panchayat Unions.
The week-long programme encompasses a training programme for school teachers and operators of overhead motors on determining water purity twice a year: during summer and winter seasons.
All the dignitaries including Deputy Mayor K.C. Palanichamy and Erode RDO Narmada Devi planted saplings on the premises of the RDO Office.
Salem Special
Correspondent adds
The TWAD Board has proposed to test 8,900 drinking water samples in Salem Corporation and all other local bodies in the district from July 1-7 to create awareness on water quality and water-borne diseases.
The TWAD Board has planned to test 150 drinking water samples in Salem Corporation; 300 samples in four municipalities of Attur, Mettur, Narasingapuram and Edappadi; 1,650 samples in 33 town panchayats, and 6,800 samples in 20 panchayat unions, District Collector V. Sampath said in a statement issued here in connection with the National Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation Awareness Week which got under way on Monday.
The water samples will be tested in the presence of local people with the help of field water testing kit developed by the TWAD Board.
The quality report and the water map will be prepared based on the results of the sample study and the same will be uploaded on the TWAD Board website.
Meanwhile, the Collector flagged off an awareness rally in the city in the morning. A large number of students of the Government Girls Higher Secondary School and Fort Corporation Boys Higher Secondary School marched in the rally carrying placards and banners underlining the importance of water quality. V. Panneerselvam, MP, A. B. Sakthivel, MLA, K. R. Selvaraj, Corporation Commissioner, S. Sivakumar, T. Chandrasekar and Aravali, all executive engineers, TWAD Board, participated in the rally.
Krishnagiri
Staff Reporter adds
The National Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation Awareness rally was flagged off here by Collector C. Kathiravan on Tuesday.
The rally carried out under the aegis of the TWAD Board was part of the National Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation Awareness Week observed from June 27 to July 3.
The rally conducted the messages of judicious use of drinking water solely for cooking and consumption, water conservation, prevention of wastage of drinking water, among others. Members of self-help groups and college students participated in the rally.
