Let’s use water judiciously

According to the official data of Ministry of water Resources, the average annual per capita availability of water in the country has come down drastically; and it may further decline in the immediate future too. It also warns us of ground water scarcity, and it may become severe because of continuous withdrawal in the future too. It is very sad to learn that we have not yet learnt how to harness the abundant water that we receive during different times of the year. It is even sad to learn that the commercial establishments recklessly pump ground water out in large quantity.

In the light of this grim scenario, what we need to do is store up water naturally by constructing big artificial ponds with a lot of trees in all possible areas of our villages so that water is not evaporated easily. Also, afforestation along the banks of water bodies like rivers, ponds, lakes, etc., can help retain water throughout the year irrespective of unfavourable seasons. It is also pertinent to note that there is a growing trend to concretise our sprawling courtyard, which in turn prevent rain water from seeping through the soil. A large amount of water is lost this way by reaching the underground. So, let us be cautious for the wise use of precious water that we get through the natural phenomena of rain. - T K Nandanan, Kochi