Four students from Keswick Public School, Madurai, represented India at the 4th International Symposium on Water Resources Protection for Secondary School Students held in Nanjing, China, in March.
Balaji, Akil and Yamini of Class XI and Lydene of class IX focused on Madurai’s ancient tank system and it was adjudged the best presentation to raise awareness about environment protection from among several other schools that came from the US, Germany, Canada and Hong Kong.
Preparing for the project was a tremendous learning experience for the team. They did an intensive three months study of the flood control, water recharging and water conservation system in the Temple Town.
. “We learned about the roof top rainwater harvesting system and the waste water treatment initiated by the government. We also researched on water resource management in different parts of the world,” says Balaji.
Pained at the disappearance of the city’s lifeline, the river Vaigai, the students became wary of water scarcity as the new reality. “We see people waiting everywhere in long queues to get water for their daily needs today whereas centuries ago the Kings had put in place an efficient water tank system consisting of . catchments, feeder channels, large irrigation and temple tanks, natural filtration and reservoir network,” points out Akil.
After understanding the water system the city was blessed with, the students listed the steps to be taken including removal of weeds and silt and repairing or constructing bunds around the tanks and dotting them with trees, restoring feeder channels, raising the water storage levels to optimum levels, getting rid of encroachments and diverting harvested rainwater to the tanks
“We began the presentation with a video on the beauty and culture of Madurai and ended with children of our school making a commitment to save water,” says Yamini. “We also signed a treaty “Saving water starts with me”, adds Lydene.
The event hosted by rivately – run Yuying Foreign Language School and the Nanjing Municipal Water Resources Bureau, and organised by World Education Alliance and HKBUAS Wong Kam Fai School, Hong Kong was also a festival to celebrate and encourage friendship beyond borders.
“We were impressed by the way they greeted us. We showcased Tamil Nadu’s great cultural legacy in dance and music at the farewell dinner. We made a fusion dance of Bharatanatyam, karagattam, Oyilattam, Thappattam and Kolattam,” says Balaji.
School Principal Maureen Jayaraj who accompanied the students said the students are the best ambassadors of the city and the country. “It was a fun-filled learning experience for the students and a memorable trip for all. Nanjing pampered us and showed and gave us the best of everything and their students are now interested in viting Madurai,” she says.
