Post News Network
Balasore, Nov 10: Magsaysay recipient Rajendra Singh – popularly known as the Waterman of India — said small rivers across the country have dried up by about 70 per cent with industrial units in a race to exhaust the remaining 30 per cent.
Singh was speaking at an event titled ‘Nadi Banchao Jivan Banchao Gana Sammilan’, organised by Balasore Civil Society at Gandhi Smruti Bhawan here Monday.
The event comes against the backdrop of a concerted campaign launched by the civil outfit seeking a ban on supply of river water from the Budhabalanga to industrial units in Balasore town. The outfit wants to ensure that the river water be used solely for drinking water and agricultural purposes.
“If a Third World War ever happens, it will be fought over water,” said Singh, expressing grave concern over the depletion of groundwater across the world.
“Natural resources like rivers and forests, even though they are public assets, are being exploited by big corporate houses,” Singh observed, adding that the mushrooming of concrete and glass structures across the world has become one of the most prominent contributors to global warming.
“Every possible effort should be initiated to protect rivers, rivulets, streams and forests. Balasore abounds with natural beauty. The district has been able to nourish agriculture and cater to the need of drinking water because of a network of crisscrossing big and small rivers,” Singh said.
He warned that the proposed system to provide Budhabalanga’s water to industrial houses will pose a plethora of problems in the days ahead, and exhorted locals to take up a concerted campaign in order to save their river water.
Noted environmentalist Prafulla Samantray voiced his concern over burgeoning industrialization in the district, stating that it would have disastrous results if the industrialization was at the expense of the environment.
Quoting a survey report, Samantray lamented that wanton mining in various parts of the state has resulted in 50 per cent depletion of water in rivers. While industrial units are needlessly exploiting river water, many rivers are being polluted due to discharge of toxic elements and industrial effluents. Samantray pointed to the case of river Brahmani, whose water according to him has become unfit for human use.
Samantray appreciated the efforts of the civil outfit to save the Budhabalanga river.
Noted geologist and water expert Sisir Kumar Behera who also attended the meet released an investigative and statistical report on the condition of the Budhabalanga.