Respect every drop of water

Actor Lakshmi Gopalaswamy talks about how small steps can make a big difference

I feel very strongly about two things. One is nature conservation and the other, which is something I am really petrified about, is water scarcity. I would like to talk about the latter and how small steps that we take could go a long way in water conservation.

I feel that we are on the brink of a water war. Just because people have money they mustn’t feel that they have access to unlimited resources. While the poor don’t even have access to the basic necessities, the growing middle class and urban population has to act more prudently. We have to bear in mind that we are living with very limited resources and it is our responsibility to conserve what we have for posterity.

I make it a point to save water wherever I can. For instance, if I see a tap in a public place with water dripping from it, I make it a point to bring it to the notice of the authority in charge and get it fixed. If I see a running tap anywhere then I immediately turn it off because it disturbs me to see water being wasted.

Whenever I go to a restaurant and order water and have half a bottle left at the end of the meal, I carry it with me and make it a point to finish it. I also don’t allow my glass to be refilled in a restaurant unless I really need it.

I am a Bengalurean and I have seen the degradation of the city in the last couple of years. It has become a city of immigrants. My appeal to people is to be sensitive to the fact that the water we get is from the Cauvery river. People must not come to the city only to make a quick buck and leave. They must be emotionally connected to the place, its resources and its problems. That connect stems from a healthy respect for the local language, cuisine and the people who have been living here for decades.

Having said that, I am also proud of the fact that Bengaluru has a very strong citizen movement and that we are, in fact, setting an example for other cities to follow. The awareness among people to save the city’s water resources is definitely growing but an effort must be made to sustain that spirit. I also feel that parents and teachers must nurture young minds in schools and at homes and drive them to save water and respect nature. The adults should lead by example.

I would like to call upon people to respect every drop of water as it has now become a necessary luxury.

Lakshmi Gopalaswamy