Every year on March 22, the world observes the World Water Day and during this day various issues and topics related to water are raised all over the globe. Sadly, not much effort has been seen nor have steps been taken to resolve the crisis. This year as the theme of world water day is ‘Nature for water’, NT BUZZ speaks to a few people and experts in this field to explore some of the nature-based solutions that can be adopted in order to overcome water challenges of the 21st century
NT BUZZ
Sewage and deforestation main reasons for water problem in Goa
The theme this year focuses on exploring nature-based solutions to save water. There is potential to save water using natural resources. If you have healthy forests it is a natural system of water regeneration, and soil conservation too. Agriculture isn’t being practiced a lot in Goa like before, but if fields are sown regularly, there will be no run off and no siltation too.
Many think that flood plains and wetlands are polluted areas, in fact it is the opposite- they are reservoirs of water and they purify water as the flora there removes fertilizers that have landed in the water due to siltation.
We can save water by also mimicking the natural process of water conservation. In Goa, a project – river bank filtration – was carried out whereby a bore well close to the river would pump about 80 per cent water and during the process it would get naturally filtrated which would then be used for irrigation as otherwise the water in the river is polluted with sewage. Two technologies can be combined and used to clean river water using constructed wetlands and river bank filtration to mimic the natural process.
In Goa, the main problem is deforestation due to large scale construction which needs to be curbed if we want to conserve our forests and save water for the future. People don’t realise it now, but sewage is another major problem that will haunt Goa in the future.”
Fraddry D’Souza, fellow and area head, TERI-Goa
The theme of World Water Day 2018 is ‘Nature for Water’. The day is special to me because it is also the birthday of my only grandchild, Abigail. What quality and quantity of water are we going to leave behind for our future generations? That is the question we grapple with when we debate about open-cast iron ore mining that degrades the ability of our hills to store water to recharge our wells while we dry them up by mining below the water table. Greed has overtaken our need. Mother Earth, worshipped by our forefathers as goddess Sateri in her many forms, was enough for our needs. Now we have to beg with Maharashtra for water from Tillari dam to sustain North Goa and fight with Karnataka over the Kalsa-Bandura dam to ensure adequate water for Central Goa. Irrigation has to be damned to supply water to Vasco and Verna from the Salaulim Dam. We need to learn from nature, again.”
Miguel Braganza, secretary,
Botanical Society of Goa
Rainwater harvesting and plantation of indigenous plants is necessary in Goa
Earlier there was a tradition to conserve and protect water resources. People were well aware of it and would consider the hill or mountains, the source of water, as sacred. In Kavrem-Quepem and in Rivona too there is a hill called ‘Deva Dongor’ and thus these water bodies were protected. But, what is happening today because of development, we have forgotten our ties with nature and environment and are destroying the hills. In Borim, the Siddhanath Hill was considered sacred by people, there was no accessible road. The road is now built by destroying the forest. Thus we are exerting pressure on our water bodies and now the water bodies in Borim are affected due to destruction of the hill.
There is a need to follow traditions of our ancestors like considering water bodies sacred. ‘Devachi soii’ or ‘Devachi Bay’ are the means by which people would conserve water and practice rainwater harvesting, all these structures are now unused and we are facing paucity of water. When the area of Sattari has the Mhadei River flowing through, the villages are starving for drinking water. This is because people and the government have opted for exotic tree plantations which have depleted our water bodies. People should opt for indigenous tress that are locally found and things like ‘paani hadwa, paani gidwa’ where an attempt to save and use rain water should be taken up.
Rajendra Kerkar, environmentalist
Leave nature alone
If you want to deal with water there are two things you can do; one is you should not pollute fresh water resources, and secondly, ensure that forests are kept safe and not destroyed. In Goa due to development there is a lot of destruction and harm done to water resources. Therefore, there is a need to sensibly use water. We must leave nature alone and allow it to grow and see what it does for our benefit. We must sensibly use water and at the same time protect our trees and not concretise our rivers. Also, protect mangroves from being getting destroyed.
Puja Mitra, Founder, Terra Conscious,
Planning out projects wisely
In Goa there are various issues that are destroying our waters. For example if you take the coal project that will be coming up in Goa it is definitely going to harm the ecosystem. Also, there is constant dredging that is taking place in the rivers. At the same time one needs to take conscious steps to preserve and protect water resources. Also, the government needs to take the right decision when it comes to planning such projects. If you safeguard our natural resources like water it will be beneficial not only for us but for the future generation as well.
Annand Madgaonkar, Social worker
Afforestation and Reforestation is the best way forward
Water is one of the most precious components provided to us by nature and it is our responsibility to use it sustainably. First thing that comes in my mind is the most simple and known solution, planting as many trees as possible. Afforestation and Reforestation is the best way to start. When I say planting trees, it has to be done on hill slopes (to prevent soil erosion and decreasing intensity of floods), near agricultural land (to stop desertification of land, it might also help in increasing the moisture retention capacity of the soil and will help in the replenishment of the fertility of the land). Using techniques like vermin-composting and utilising the compost as organic fertilisers can reduce surface runoff of chemical fertilisers in water systems. Watershed management and rainwater harvesting techniques are also beneficial.”
Nikita Mangeshkar, assistant professor Environmental Studies at Dnyanprassarak Mandal’s College and Research Centre, Assagao
Chemical seeping into ground water
Many people are using technology to convert the moisture present in the environment what we called humidity. That moisture is converted into water using solar panels and but sometimes to convert water we might use a lot of energy which does not really serve the purpose. For example: Distillation Plant convert sea water into drinking water but this requires energy; we do not know if it is really efficient because it uses the electrical system, power from the batteries; it is not a renewable source of energy.
Now CSIR is working mostly on portable water, but this is not really solving the problem of ground water reduction, as with climate change the ground water will decrease to such an extent that we won’t have drinking water. And whatever water we have is contaminated because of the excessive use of fertilisers during the 80s or 90s, this is now showing effect because these chemicals have dissolved into the ground water. Everything can be filtered by the earth but not the chemicals which dissolve into water.
NIO has so far not worked on making drinking water available through processes like filtration or distillation. We have only been working on ocean technology.”
Pramod Kumar Maurya, senior scientist, CSIR- National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula
Bio toilets are the future
The best way to curb open defecation and preventing sewage water from entering our water bodies is by providing mobile toilets and having sewage pipelines respectively. KAFMAR has been actively involved in cleaning and restoration of water bodies and provides bio toilets. It is observed that since people dispose waste in water bodies it results in their flooding. Open defecation along the banks of river and water bodies contaminates the water and causes several water borne diseases such as diarrhoea. We should conserve water by recycling water and practicing rain water harvesting. Communities should come together and clean water bodies in and around their vicinity and not rely on the government to do so. ”
Venecia Catul e Rebello, project coordinator at KAFMAR Environmental Services
Compiled by Danuska Da Gama, Venita Gomes, Ramandeep Kaur and Sheras Fernandes