<p>W ater sources and heritage sites in Bidar are no more neglected, thanks to an increased awareness among the people of the city. A visit to the public well at Ramachandra Nagar, which was contaminated due to open defecation and waste disposal until a few months ago, will give you an idea.<br /><br /></p>.<p> The residents now know the consequences of using polluted water and keep a constant watch. Other wells scattered across Bidar are also assessed for their water level and quality, and efforts are on to ensure necessary treatment. All these activities are anchored by Team Yuva, an association of the city’s youth, that is striving to build a proactive society. <br /><br />It all started three years ago when Vinay Malge, a member of the Team, realised the need for improving the communication skills of the youth of the region. He teamed up with like-minded friends and decided to guide and empower youngsters by giving them proper exposure and training. The Team, which consists of people from different professional, social and economical backgrounds, was launched on December 2, 2012. <br /><br />Now, the Team has over 60 members of whom 25 reside in Bidar and get involved in day-to-day activities, while others who live in different cities support the cause in their own way. Some promote the efforts through social networking, while others support by sharing their knowledge and experience. Influenced by the Team’s activities, a large number of college students participate in its activities as volunteers.<br /><br />The Team believes in being apolitical in nature and stresses majorly on social work. It has been conducting workshops for rural students of Bidar, Aurad and Bhalki taluks to help them get good results in the SSLC exam. It also organises programmes to create awareness on the harmful effects of open defecation and the need to maintain clean surroundings. <br /><br />The members are also making people aware of Bidar’s historical significance and the city’s potential to grow as a tourism centre. “Heritage monuments are the strength of Bidar and their conservation would have a positive impact on the social and economic status of the city. We are working towards developing a model tourism destination, where all stakeholders sustain and prosper,” says Vinay. They have initiated a cleaning drive at many historical places of the city. They have also collaborated with the Archaeological <br />Survey of India to convey the significance of these monuments to localites and tourists. One of their initiatives is to conduct heritage walks for the public and the school children, to enable them to appreciate and protect the city’s rich culture and architecture. <br /><br />Team Yuva is also a big supporter of the district administration’s effort to revive the ancient karez system, a tunnel-shaped underground water supply set-up, which taps into natural springs and supplies water to man-made water reserves. Acknowledging the Team’s efforts, the district administration has assigned it the task of monitoring the revival work. They are conducting heritage walks along the karez to help people explore this unique system of underground waterways. “Geologist Govindan Kutty has been guiding us in this effort,” acknowledges the Team. <br /><br />Team Yuva has shown a constructive way of utilising the youth power in achieving a benevolent goal. It can be reached at malgevinay@gmail.com.<br /><br /><em>Chandrakanth Masani<br />(Translated by Anitha Pailoor)</em></p>
<p>W ater sources and heritage sites in Bidar are no more neglected, thanks to an increased awareness among the people of the city. A visit to the public well at Ramachandra Nagar, which was contaminated due to open defecation and waste disposal until a few months ago, will give you an idea.<br /><br /></p>.<p> The residents now know the consequences of using polluted water and keep a constant watch. Other wells scattered across Bidar are also assessed for their water level and quality, and efforts are on to ensure necessary treatment. All these activities are anchored by Team Yuva, an association of the city’s youth, that is striving to build a proactive society. <br /><br />It all started three years ago when Vinay Malge, a member of the Team, realised the need for improving the communication skills of the youth of the region. He teamed up with like-minded friends and decided to guide and empower youngsters by giving them proper exposure and training. The Team, which consists of people from different professional, social and economical backgrounds, was launched on December 2, 2012. <br /><br />Now, the Team has over 60 members of whom 25 reside in Bidar and get involved in day-to-day activities, while others who live in different cities support the cause in their own way. Some promote the efforts through social networking, while others support by sharing their knowledge and experience. Influenced by the Team’s activities, a large number of college students participate in its activities as volunteers.<br /><br />The Team believes in being apolitical in nature and stresses majorly on social work. It has been conducting workshops for rural students of Bidar, Aurad and Bhalki taluks to help them get good results in the SSLC exam. It also organises programmes to create awareness on the harmful effects of open defecation and the need to maintain clean surroundings. <br /><br />The members are also making people aware of Bidar’s historical significance and the city’s potential to grow as a tourism centre. “Heritage monuments are the strength of Bidar and their conservation would have a positive impact on the social and economic status of the city. We are working towards developing a model tourism destination, where all stakeholders sustain and prosper,” says Vinay. They have initiated a cleaning drive at many historical places of the city. They have also collaborated with the Archaeological <br />Survey of India to convey the significance of these monuments to localites and tourists. One of their initiatives is to conduct heritage walks for the public and the school children, to enable them to appreciate and protect the city’s rich culture and architecture. <br /><br />Team Yuva is also a big supporter of the district administration’s effort to revive the ancient karez system, a tunnel-shaped underground water supply set-up, which taps into natural springs and supplies water to man-made water reserves. Acknowledging the Team’s efforts, the district administration has assigned it the task of monitoring the revival work. They are conducting heritage walks along the karez to help people explore this unique system of underground waterways. “Geologist Govindan Kutty has been guiding us in this effort,” acknowledges the Team. <br /><br />Team Yuva has shown a constructive way of utilising the youth power in achieving a benevolent goal. It can be reached at malgevinay@gmail.com.<br /><br /><em>Chandrakanth Masani<br />(Translated by Anitha Pailoor)</em></p>
