Develop techniques to save water, Prez to scientists, town planners & innovators

Greater Noida: President Droupadi Murmu has appealed to scientists, town planners and innovators to try to develop techniques that help conserve water resources, noting that technology can play a key role in ensuring India's water security.

Speaking at the seventh edition of the India Water Week, Murmu said providing clean water is a big challenge which requires cooperation from all sections of society. "There will be a need to effectively conserve water to meet the demands of our future generation and technology will play an important role in it. Hence, it is my appeal to scientists, town planners and innovators that they try to develop techniques for conservation of water resources," she said.

She also appealed to the common people, farmers, industrialists and especially children to make water conservation a part of their ethics. "Only then, we will be able to gift a better and safer tomorrow to the coming generations," she said.

Noting that the present situation on water security is worrying, Murmu said "due to the increasing population, the condition of our rivers and reservoirs is deteriorating" and village ponds are drying up and many local rivers have become extinct. "Water is being overexploited in agriculture and industries. The environmental balance on the earth is getting disturbed, weather patterns are changing and unseasonal excessive rainfall has become common. In such a situation, discussing the management of water is a very commendable step," she said.

The President said the issue of water is relevant not only for India but for the entire world. "This issue is linked to national security too as the vast amount of available freshwater is spread between two or more countries. Therefore, this combined water resource is an issue in which international cooperation is necessary," she said.

The President said water is a major resource for agriculture as well. According to an estimate, about 80 per cent of the water resource in our country is used for agricultural purposes. "Therefore, proper use and management of water in irrigation is very important for water conservation," she said. Calling the 'Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana' a major initiative in this area, Murmu said this nationwide scheme is being implemented to increase the irrigated area in the country.