Thiruvananthapuram: Dr. C. V. Ananda Bose, former IAS officer, author and an expert on environmental and habitat issues, said overarching legislations are required to conserve and optimal use of water, as it involves often contradicting stances of various departments and ministries. He was speaking at the 21st edition of Beyond Square Feet, a triannual lecture series organized in connection with the World Water Day by Asset Homes at Hotel O by Tamara in Thiruvananthapuram.
"This year's Water Day's theme is "groundwater - making the invisible visible" and this makes all the more relevant as the percentage of groundwater available on earth is only 0.6% Of the various forms of water available, about 97.2% is in the oceans and inland seas, 2.1% is in glaciers, less than 1% each in the atmosphere, lakes and rivers and in all living plants and animals. Only the balance 0.6% is in groundwater and soil moisture," he pointed out.
He also said desalination of seawater and rainwater harvesting are indispensable to ensure the sufficiency of clean and safe drinking water and praised the Saudi Arabian model for making the former effective. "But when it comes to increasing the efficiency of irrigation dams and the like, various departments lock horns citing archaic laws and here we need overarching legislations. A holistic approach is the need of the hour and compartmentalization in crucial issues like water conservation should be avoided at any cost. Responsibility of the society also is of vital importance," he said.
"In our scriptures, the Goddess Earth, when she is transformed as a cow, asks Prithu to milk her gently. This is the ultimate slogan of sustained development - milk genty," he added.
Sunil Kumar V., Managing Director, Asset Homes and Ajay Prasad, Managing Director, Taurus Holdings also spoke on the occasion. Asset Homes has been organizing Beyond Square Feet lecture series thrice every year on world environment, water and habitat days.
