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Your editorial "Water crisis plagues many rural areas" (FE- April 29) reminded me the words of William Ashworth who said that "Children of a culture born in a water-rich environment, we have never really learned how important water is to us. We understand it, but we do not respect it." Water is central to our lives but has not been the central point of focus in our planning while we rapidly evolve into an urban society. The water scarcity is mostly man-made due to excess population growth and mismanagement of water resources. India is likely to face threat of a drought this year also as monsoon rains are expected to be weaker than average. The Indian government needs to enhance its investment in technology and include all stakeholders at the planning level to ensure optimisation of existing resources.
Unless we are aware of water wastage, we shall not be able to avail the basic quantity of water that is necessary to carry on with our normal lives. There was an old adage 'Don't waste money like water '. Water scarcity is an abstract concept to many and a stark reality for others. Water is the foundation of life. Clean, safe drinking water is scarce. Water is a free gift of nature and renewable resource. We cannot manufacture water according to its demand or find out a substitute. Each city and town will have to develop its own strategy for managing wastewater. A small steady water leak can cause a loss of 250,000 litres of water per year. Unless we are aware and conscious of water wastage we shall not be able to avail the basic quantity of water that we need to carry on with our normal lives.
Vinod C. Dixit
B-15 Jyot-Kalash Society,
Jodhpur Tekra, S.M. Road,
Ahmedabad, India
[email protected]