Schools in state blase about water crisis

Updated on: Tuesday, January 04, 2011

When it comes to public issues, schools often take the lead. They are at the forefront on matters ranging from the environment to poverty. It is thus surprising that the institutions did not rise to the occasion when it came to Mumbai’s worst water crisis in years. Stringent water cuts bedevilled the city for 15 months from June 2009 but the problem is far from over.

The lack of awareness about the water crisis among school children was evident from the least number of entries from the city and the state in a national painting competition organised by the Union Ministry of Water Resources. In a pool of 2.67 lakh entries received from all over the country, the state’s share is an abysmal 3,070.

The maximum entries, 1.45 lakh, are from Tamil Nadu. Like Mumbai, the Tamil Nadu’s capital Chennai is in the midst of an acute water crisis. About 10,000 schools have participated in the competition, which is themed on water conservation, effective use of water and preventing wastage of water; the final is on January 21. Seventy-seven schools participated from Maharashtra out of which 38 are from Mumbai.

The last date of submission of entries was October 12. Each school was asked to organise a painting competition and send the entries of the winner and the first runner-up to the state, which would forward three entries to Delhi, where the finalists have been invited.

The first finalist from Maharashtra is Mansi Hiren, a standard IV student from Vikhroli. She painted a globe, with a little girl trying to seize a drop of water. “Last year, everyone bore the brunt of the water crisis. I drew the girl because I could relate to her. I had felt the pinch as well,” Hiren told TOI. The second and third finalists are from Ahmednagar and Chembur, respectively.

“We cannot blame children for the low turnout (from Mumbai and the rest of the state). Perhaps enough awareness was not generated because of which we didn’t get as many entries as we expected, said Shashi Pal, undersecretary, Union Ministry of Water Resources. But we are perturbed about such a low turnout from Maharashtra, which suffered so much in 2009.”

The ministry is responsible for laying down policy guidelines for the development and regulation of the country’s water resources. Maharashtra reeled under a severe water crisis in 2009-10.The BMC announced a 10 per cent water cut on June 9, 2009, which continued for 15 months, at times touching 30 per cent. The cuts were fully rolled back on August 28, 2010. Elsewhere in the state, farmers were left to fend for themselves as the rains were delayed, spoiling crops. Fifteen districts in the state were declared drought-hit. Worst-affected were Nashik, Solapur, Marathwada and Western Vidarbha.

Schools in state blase about water crisis

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