Judge advises people to take up rainwater harvesting

Rainwater harvesting is the need of the hour. Everyone can contribute to recharging the groundwater by constructing percolation ponds, reminded senior civil judge Noorunnisa.

She was speaking at the World Water Day programme organised by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board at the Government First Grade College in town on Friday.

The judge said that the people in the plateau region have been facing severe drought. “If rainwater is collected during monsoon, the same water could be utilised for daily needs in the Malnad during summer,” she suggested.

Afforestation too

Noorunnisa also reminded that afforestation was also a method of conservation of water. “Students should come forward to convince people on careful and judicious use of water,” she added.

G R Ganesh, district environment officer, said that the pollution of water at Harangi, Kanive and other major sources of water in the district had been confirmed through laboratory tests. “Appropriate legal action will be taken inevitably to prevent the release of sewage, plastic and other waste into rivers and other natural sources of water,” he warned.

Lecturer G Shrinath said that there is a need to check the number of borewells sunk. “If the drilling of borewells continues unabated, the day will not be far when the groundwater level will dip to zero,” he reminded.

Oath administered

T G Premkumar, Rajya Vijnana Parishat convener, administered an oath on environment conservation. Prizes were distributed to the winners of essay writing and elocution competitions.

Parishat vice president M E Mohiddin, Government First Grade College principal Dr Y Chaitra, History professor B R Shashidhar, and Scouts and Guides district president Jimmy Sequeira were present.