How water-literate are you? Are you wondering what water literacy means in the first place? Experts and representatives of voluntary organisations point out that there is a need for communities to understand the significance of waterbodies in their neighbourhoods and protect them.
With just a few months left for the northeast monsoon to hit the city, it is time the community played a larger role in protecting waterbodies in their locality to mitigate floods, feel experts. Residents have to be aware of the lakes and ponds in their area, their inlets and outlets and how their surplus courses travel, they say.
Environmentalist Foundation of India (EFI), which is involved in protecting water resources, is now joining hands with residents in increasing water literacy and also helping people to conserve waterbodies. Members of the EFI noted that several waterbodies, including those at Mudichur, Perumbakkam, Irumbuliyur, Rajakilpakkam and Keelkattalai, were not maintained properly, causing deluge.
‘Green Gramam’
“Spending a few hours during weekends to improve waterbodies, be it a pond or a lake in their area, will help people to mitigate flood damages and also conserve water,” said Arun Krishnamurthy of the EFI.
The organisation recently launched ‘Green Gramam’ — a programme to reach out to people on water literacy and flood prevention through street plays and workshops for youngsters.
Simple measures like clearing the garbage and debris that block floodwater entry into inlets and clearing vegetation around the waterbodies would reduce the impact of floods, he added. EFI volunteers had recently finished restoring three ponds at Perungalathur and are now involved in partial restoration of lakes at Perumbakkam, Arasankazhani and Sitalapakkam along with the Water Resources Department under the water security mission.
“Residents could volunteer to restore waterbodies in their locality. People need to voluntarily stop misusing water resources. We are prepared to join the initiative and also conduct workshops for residents on flood preparedness and flood prevention. From following weather forecast and preparing emergency kits to keeping their stormwater drains and surplus courses free of garbage, we sensitise people to the significance of social responsibility, particularly towards safeguarding water resources,” said Ram Narayanan, coordinator, EFI.
The organisation, which conducts lake clean-up programmes every weekend, needs about 100 volunteers to restore a water source.
