Science City Celebrated the Water Day 2 million children die every year for want of clean drinking water and sanitation facilities. Poor are the worst hit by the water scarcity and mostly affected by the water borne diseases. In north India 42-45% of our population does not get even 3 liters of drinking water in a day that a person needs to survive. 12 states effected by water borne diseases are Haryana, Punjab, HP, AP, TN, MP, UP,Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Orissa, Karnataka, Chattisgarh. Dr. R.Kohli Chairman Botany Department Panjab University Chandigarh expressed these views on the occasion of Water day at Science City and stated that ground water Table is going down by 3ft per year in Punjab.
Government is trying its level best to provide us with clean water. It is for us to understand that we are the cause, as well as thevictims of water scarcity and impurity. If we really want our children to lead a healthy and prosperous life we have to save and keep cleannatural resources rather than compounding our bank balances. He added.He appealed to the students to work with local watershedconservation organizations to develop a watershed plan and participate in activities that help to protect and restore localstreams, rivers, lakes & wetlands, and the land that surrounds them.
71% of earth surface is covered with water. 94% of the ocean water is salty and is not suitable for human consumption .Out of theremaining 6 % fresh water, 99% is out of reach of man as it is locked in glaciers / ice-caps or buried deep underground or up in atmosphere as vapour . Hardly 3% of the fresh water on earth is available for our use.Even this little water is not distributed uniformly in space and time. Had it been so it would have been sufficient, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Khandpur Director General Science City mentioned that it is now time to start implementing strategies that have demonstrated success in conservation and purification of water. If current trends continue, about 60 percent of all aquifers in India will be in a critical condition in the next 20 years. There is dire need for taking effective measures to address the critical threat of ground water overexploitation.
Science Drama and Painting Competition were also organized by Science City. The winners of the competition were awarded by Dr. Kohli.and Dr. R. Grover acting Director Science City was also Present on this occasion.
