Renowned water conservationist Rajendra Singh strongly felt that effective water management was the solution for water crisis.
The Stockholm Water Prize and Magsaysay Award winner was addressing the gathering at a function organised by the Rotary Club of Coimbatore on Saturday to bestow the Amruthavarshini Award to Siruthuli.
Doubting if Karnataka and Tamil Nadu would reach terms for the Cauvery water dispute, resulting in Tamil Nadu getting water from the river, he stressed the need to save water. “We should identify the source of water, the path in which it flows and clear the blockages disturbing the natural course of flow,” he said.
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Mr. Rajendra Singh said that opportunities should be made for seeping water to the ground. More tanks should be built to save available water. He observed that in many places storage points for preciously saved water had also turned out to be a collecting point for sewage.
He pointed out that 80 per cent of water in River Ganga was used for irrigating sugarcane fields. He added that good water could be used for drinking while sewage could be used for irrigation. The conservationist also stressed on the need to depend on indigenous knowledge – that is rich in India – to solve water related problems.
Mr. Rajendra Singh and president of the Rotary Club G. Karthikeyan handed over the Amruthavarshini Award to Siruthuli. It was received by the trust’s chairman S.V. Balasubramaniam and managing trustee Vanitha Mohan in the presence of its secretary S. Swaminathan and guest of honour B.K. Krishnaraj Vanavarayar.
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Ms. Vanitha Mohan spoke on the journey of Siruthuli from its inception, what the trust had achieved and its journey ahead. Vocation service director of the Rotary Club Harjit Singh Wahan was also present.