Standing in front of the Vidhana Soudha on Wednesday morning, people of Bengaluru took an oath that they would be careful about how they utilise water and reduce wastage.
They were taking part in the ‘Save Water-Save Bengaluru’ awareness rally organised by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) on the occasion of World Water Day, in which Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also took part.
Starting at Vidhana Soudha, the rally passed through KR Circle, Mysore Bank Circle, KG Road, Kasturba Road and Kanteerava indoor stadium. Officials from the BWSSB and cadets of Bharat Scouts and Guides took part in the march.
Addressing the gathering, the chief minister said, “The city generates 130 crore litres of sewage daily. In countries like Australia, Singapore and Israel, sewage water is recycled. The BWSSB has come up with a plan to recycle the water. People should be prepared to use this recycled water for all purposes, other than drinking.”
He said the state was reeling under acute drought and there was a shortage of drinking water. “Even then, the Supreme Court expects us to release 2,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu every day,” he said. Siddaramaiah said the water in KRS, Kabini, Harangi, and Hemavathi reservoirs would have to be used judiciously and for drinking purpose only.
Tushar Girinath, chairman of BWSSB, said the campaign would continue till the end of May.
Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and experts, in partnership with BWSSB, will conduct seminars and discussions on water conservation, recycling and lake conservation as part of the campaign.
Several other events were organised in the city to mark World Water Day. A group of students from St Joseph’s College held an awareness march on Mahatma Gandhi Road. The students gathered on either side of the road, near Cauvery Emporium, carrying placards. They raised slogans, urging citizens to use the precious resource judiciously.
Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) will conduct a panel discussion on Thursday on ‘circular water economy,’ in which fellows from the Trust will debate the potential of recycling waste water for meeting the demands of Indian cities. The discussion will be held between 3.45 pm and 5 pm at ATREE auditorium in Jakkur and the event will be broadcast live on their YouTube channel.
DH News Service