Water experts believe that government needed to go an extra mile in order to make pure drinking water available for all in the State. In a seminar today on Quality Quest to discuss the current challenges and possible ways to overcome the same in near future and long term, experts opined that localized solution for purification of drinking water was the only way forward.
“It is more often said that the next world war will be fought for water. But the fact is that only our mismanagement and lack of attention has made pure drinking water scarce in a state full of natural water resources. Secondly, the poor people can afford only localized indigenous water purification solution only and government and companies working to provide purified drinking water will have to think of it,” said Vikas Bharti (Bishunpur) Secretary Ashok Bhagat on the occasion.
Bhagat also suggested a number of indigenous ways through which water could be purified and preserved at in households. The seminar divided in four sessions saw experts discussing about challenges, policy initiatives and way forward, community involvement, and new technologies at length. Experts from Central Ground water Board, NEERI, BIT Mesra, UNICEF, Plan India, Hope and leading companies like Ion-exchange, livpure, JUSCO and JSW took part in the seminar.
Opening the first session, Rai University (Jharkhand) Civil Engineering Department Head NK Roy laid the foundation of the problems and possible solutions in the way of providing safe drinking water for all. “Rain water is among purest forms of water, and safest to consume. But it is ironical that a state which receives around 1,300 ml rainfall every year has not been able to restore and manage it properly. Secondly, the government doesn’t even have a clear roadmap to provide safe drinking water to all,” said Roy.Drinking Water and Sanitation Department Minister Chandra Prakash Choudhary was scheduled to put government’s perspective on the whole issue at the event organised jointly by his own department and department and Indian Chamber of Commerce. However, he couldn’t make his presence in the seminar due to some certain unavoidable circumstances.Environmental Science HoD of BIT Mesra Gopal Pathak, JUSCO Manager (laboratory and Quality Assurance) S Banerjee, JSW DGM (Corporate Relations) Rajeev Kumar Gupta, Central Ground Water Board (Ranchi) Senior Hydrologist TBN Singh, SAR Group of Companies Chief of Operations Kailaspati Jha, National Head (Rural Water Solutions) of Ion-Exchange Jayshree Rao, Indian Chamber of Commerce Resident Director (Jharkhand Office) Deepak Bhattacharya and many other experts presented their solutions for providing safe drinking water in the state.