Valuing Water
World Water Day is meant to be a call to action. Responsibility lies with all of us. Governments, associations, private partners: we must all recognize the multifold value of water and take action to conserve this basic resource, the resource which gives our planet its unique colour.
Audrey Azoulay
Director-General, UNESCO
Every year on March 22, World Water Day is observed to highlight the importance of freshwater. The UN declared the observation in the year 1992. It aims at bringing awareness about saving water and the consequences of not managing the resource well. It is about what water means to people. There is a value placed on it, both environmental and socio-cultural value placed on water resources. It is about taking action to tackle the water crisis world over and is the core focus on supporting the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal number 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.
When you ask someone, what does water mean to them, you get different answers. It could be: about staying hydrated during a workout, the beauty of the water falling from heights, or the joy of getting drenched in the pouring rain. Unfortunately for many, it is a daily challenge is not only of having access to clean water. Water sources are under extreme threat from a growing population, the increasing demands of agriculture and industry, and the worsening impact of climate change. There are many things which we can do about the water. Starting from Cleaning up your local water source, try to reduce your water footprint. Water pollution affects wildlife. It is not only humans that require access to clean water, animals, and other creatures too.
Ancient Indian scriptures talk about Pancha Bhutas, water being one of them. Several civilisations originated and survived on the banks of the rivers. Rig Veda mentions Ganga, Sindhu, Saraswati (a river that has disappeared years ago) and the Yamuna. Water has a vital role in many religious rituals. The animals in the forest travel distances in search of water. The oasis in a desert is heaven for travelers. Despite all the emphasis in the scripture’s world over, humans, in the name of progress, traversing a path where basic amenities like having safe and adequate drinking water is becoming a challenge. The advancement in Science and Technology gives us hope. Desalination, providing sufficient water supplies, but this is restricted to coastal areas. Unfortunately, nature has not been equitable in providing coastal access. Now people are going back in time and start canvassing for water harvesting. Hope it is too little too late!
Preservation would enhance success when realised that natural resources are not unlimited if one does not take care. On this World Water Day, let us resolve to ensure that no one in the world stays thirsty. One is to have water and then, more importantly, cleaner, and healthier water. Humans must come out of the belief that all the natural resources are only for them. There are many species that exist in the universe which need water, and humans need to learn to preserve some for them.
Toons: Reema Jaiswal
Logs: Sai Baba
