Lighthouse

Author(s): Udayvallabhvijay
Publisher: Pragna Prabodh Parivar

Page 80

last a month, in just few hours. Lot of water is wasted in washing the walls of the house, compounds, vehicles and bath after playing Holi. Even water supply by tankers falls short on that day. If we talk of the last 2/3 years, Holi festival falls sometime around beginning of summer and in the face of looming water cuts. It is important to understand the water problem before enjoying revelries involving water. The wastage of foodgrain is worrisome. However, the wastage of water is much more worrisome. That is why, to create awareness on the subject 22nd March every year is observed as `World Water Day'. 75% of the surface of our planet is covered by water. However, potable water is just 2.5% of this water body. Of this 2.5% also, a large volume consists of glaciers, ice clad mountain tops and also sub-soil water reserves. Of the potable water just 0.3% is stored in rivers and lakes. Possibly, in the coming years water problem would be the most serious problem before the whole world. To understand this problem in better perspective, let us consider here an allied subject. Water is wasted in many ways. More water is wasted when we use drinking water - bottles. Today, bottled drinking water has become an enormous industry. To fill one litre of water in a bottle two litres of water is wasted. Besides this, the wastage of water is beyond normal compréhension. Though the world is awakening to the illeffects of bottled water (some of the Western countries have even banned it !), hardly any remedial measures are being taken. Even otherwise, though the awareness and information in various fields are overflowing, they do not travel beyond <Lighthouse>
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