Jammu, Mar 22 (KNS): On March 22 every year, World Water Day is observed across the globe. The observance is an effort to focus on the significance of water, on the importance of access to clean water and to educate people to on water-related issues and take due measures to overcome the challenges of water pollution, safe and drinking water scarcity and health and hygiene related to water.
However, over the years, environmental damage, together with climate change, is driving the water-related crises we see around the world. Floods, drought and water pollution are all made worse by degraded vegetation, soil, rivers and lakes. When we neglect our ecosystems, we make it harder to provide everyone with the water we need to survive and thrive.
Tarigami, who is also chairman of the committee on Environment of J&K legislative Assembly, said with modernisation, industrial development, use of chemicals in agriculture and waste disposal, both surface and ground water are getting more and more polluted each day.
Through World Water Day, we want to see an increase in the quality of education and initiatives across the world to raise awareness on the importance of water conservation and maintaining and managing water resources.
He also lashed out at the Central government for making drastic cut in the budget of central schemes, including National Rural Drinking Water Mission. The goal of the NRDWM was to provide adequate safe water for drinking, cooking and other domestic needs to rural people.
Nature-based solutions have the potential to solve many of our water challenges. We need to do so much more with ‘green’ infrastructure and harmonize it with ‘grey’ infrastructure wherever possible. Planting new forests, reconnecting rivers to floodplains, and restoring wetlands will rebalance the water cycle and improve human health and livelihoods.
Through World Water Day, we want to see an increase in the quality of education and initiatives across the world to raise awareness on the importance of water conservation and maintaining and managing water resources. (KNS)