Women take leadership on World water Day! Make every drop count!

Women take leadership on World water Day! Make every drop count! World Water day by United Nations

by Elsie Gabriel

Thousands Walk for Water in Hiranandani Powai campaign in Mumbai by Young Environmentalists NGO to create awareness and action on water conservation.Over 70% of them were women who marched to create awareness about water conservation.

Walk for water campaign is a people's movement to advocate for good clean water all over the world.

In Mumbai the Young Environmentalists Programme trust and Climate Reality Project has partnered to harness momentum here in the city. The citizens came from far and wide to join the March.Mumbai suffers from regular clean drinking water, while half its well to do population waste water , the other half languish. Mumbai has let its rivers dry thin, almost to the size of nullahs or drains in some areas. It is again women who are fighting to save them.

The NGO not only stressed on water conservation among residents but also emphasized the need for keeping our oceans clean for our Marine life intact. Vivienne Choudhary appointed by high Court of Mumbai for protection of animals said, "We plead the Maharashtra government to put a complete blanket ban on Plastics as they not only choke our drains, rivers and lakes but also add to garbage and green house games.

Water tax and water meter should be implemented so that water a free element of our planet is not taken for granted among out city .""

The Government is not sitting idle though, it is doing its share here in Mumbai. It is users like us who need to conserve water.

''At present MCGM recycle the waste water generated from its treatment plants at Bhandup and Panjarapur near Bhiwandi.The quantum is around 90 MLD of both plantsThis quantum is sufficient to feed a population 6 lacs Secondly we also have a technical support wing to encourage Citizens to establish rain harvesting at their complex. Now we also have proposal to retreat the waste water of our sewage treatment plant nd use the same for secondary purpose like gardening flushing. ''says Khemilkar chief from the Water works MCGM Bhandup.

In another care of a woman leading the climate change story is a cyclist. Tanya Gabriel CEO of Creed conducted a Cyclothon for Water Conservation Campaign on March 19th at Carter Road Bandra, whosaid,"Water conservation needs be given priority. Through our interactive cycling medium we are spreading awareness about water conservation as we will have the Young and old cycling with us. "

Talking about good four months of monsoons here in Mumbai, India it is high time the government made it compulsory to do rain water harvesting and provided some tax rebate on the same.The MCGM government water departments, is doing its bit to recycle water in its new plans." "Friends don't take availability of clean water for granted. One bad monsoon can change the situation drastically. So it is necessary to cultivate the habit of utilizing available water judicially. practicing simple techniques like rain water harvesting, recycling, reuse etc. helps in minimizing water requirement & also multiplying & saving the water for tougher times. SAVE WATER SAVE MUMBAI." says Sandesh Paralkar, Sub Engineer, Rain Water Harvesting & Water Conservation Cell, MUNICIPAL CORPORATION OF GREATER MUMBAI..

Thousands marched from New Hiranandani school Powai Mumbai on March 22, ending at Heritage Gardens which has rain water harvesting in Powai . All participants took the pledge to save water and implement action to save water in their environment. Housing societies are encouraged to conduct rain water harvesting and green their housing societies so as to avail of tax rebates.

Message-if you are a woman at home, school ,work or society, take the lead, educate, start discussions and initiate water conservation action where ever you are.