Arjun Singh Rathore
My future generations will one day ask me “why and in what capacity you used the water of my right” and that day is not much far away, it is approaching us and approaching very fast, may be within another twenty years, and at that time we will be in a fix and our future generations will never forgive us for misusing the resources which this mother earth created millions of years back for the generations who have to come on this earth for millions of years ahead. From class one, we are taught Water is life! If there were no water, there would be no life! All life forms of all species of flora and fauna are able to live because of water. Not only we are made up of water, it is the only transportation medium that carries the food molecules and oxygen to the cells of every bodypart to help the blood. It signifies that water is the most essential ingredients to the functioning of life processes of every organism. So you see living this wonderful life is impossible without water! But we all are hell bent upon destroying the most precious creature on this earth.
In his Independence Day address from the ramparts of Lal Quila, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi not only expressed the concern but he also shared the ways and means for the conservation of this life nectar. Although he referred the concept of interlinking the rivers by connecting them by way of flood channels but he also laid the emphasis on small things happening around us by changing our outlook towards this wonderful natural resource.
If we really want to do something for our country, decide to go green- it’s simpler than we think……
A baby step from all of us by just deciding when we are going to start the water harvesting in our space available will make a difference. It may sound absurd but those who are seriously committed in the preservation of our drinking water must pledge that they will not drink water by touching the part, glass or bottle, with their lips and in this way they will contribute a little as there will be no wastage of water in cleaning the part. No need to get surprised as this practice is being followed in western UP, Bihar and Bundelkhand.
We can start small which will go big. Take one small step at a time, as I think it can help in inculcating water saving habits that last. Few things we can start right away
Rain water harvesting: Installing rain water catching ducts and filtration systems on homes are the basic methods of harvesting rain water. We can keep clean containers on roof tops to store rain water so that it can be drunk after a simple boil. Harvested and filtered rain water can be used for toilets, home gardening, lawn irrigation and small scale agriculture.
Have cutting water: Instead of filling a full glass of water, drink in half measures. Even the UP assembly announced this measure to save drinking water.
Household applications: Water-saving technology for the home includes low-flow shower heads, low-flush toilets & composting toilets, dual flush toilets to flush different levels of water, raw water flushing where toilets use sea water or non-purified water, wastewater reuse, garden hose nozzles that shut off water when it is not being used, low flow taps in wash basins.
Commercial applications: Waterless urinals, waterless car washes, infrared or foot-operated taps, which can save water by using short bursts of water for rinsing in a kitchen or bathroom, pressurized waterbrooms, X-ray film processor re-circulation systems, water-saving steam sterilizers for use in hospitals and health care facilities, water to water heat exchangers
Agricultural applications: For crop irrigation, optimal water efficiency means minimizing losses due to evaporation, runoff or subsurface drainage while maximizing production. An evaporation pan in combination with specific crop correction factors can be used to determine how much water is needed to satisfy plant requirements.
Drip irrigation: Drip irrigation is the most expensive and least-used type, but offers the ability to deliver water to plant roots with minimal losses. There are also other cheap effective methods similar to drip irrigation such as the use of soaking hoses that can even be submerged in the growing medium to eliminate evaporation.
Be veggie: Turn vegetarian if not then cut down meat/dairy.
Reuse AC water: Put a bucket in your AC outlet and use the water for mopping or watering plants. Do the same to your RO outlet. In fact, rethink RO as they waste water.
Don’t wash your clothes in washing machines: With hands we can wash more clothes with less water. Moreover every time in machine wash an average of nine million (plastic) microfibers are released into the environment. And if you still use washing machine, use a low temperature setting, a liquid detergent and don’t overload.
Check for leaks: A small drip from a worn faucet washer can waste 20 gallons of water per day. Larger leaks can waste hundreds of gallons.
Cut down plastics: Use jute/cloth grocery bags, make your own cutlery bag to carry with you, carry your own bottle and cup.
Waste management: People think trash goes away when they get it out of their house-out of sight, out of mind. But they don’t realise that it’s adding to the load of Earth by going into and destroying the natural source of drinking water.
Among all living organisms water is the most important Natural Capital in the world’s stock of natural resources. Water is that natural capital asset which provides the people living on this earth with free goods and services, often called ecosystem services. Clean drinking water underpins our economy and society and makes human life possible. All forms of energy generation is done using water. Be it hydroelectrically projects, or thermal power plant, or nuclear power plant, water is the key ingredient in all of them. There would be no power without water! By the year 2050 only those countries will possess the ability of being recognised as super power, which will use their water judiciously and keep/preserve their water resources to serve their future generations, as water is indispensible for life. No water, no life!
(The author is Executive Manager/Chief Manager in J&K Bank)
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