This refers to the editorial, “Overcoming water woes” (March 27). India’s water problem can be solved only by taking drastic steps to control pollution of rivers and groundwater. Polluting industries should be shut down if they don’t comply within with Government orders within a given period.
We have always had floods in one area and drought in another. Therefore, river-linking projects must be implemented on a war-footing. I recall, over 50 years ago, experienced engineers had brought forward the concept of a garland canal in the Himalayan foot hills to trap surplus rain waters that flow down the mountain slopes. A similar canal could be dug to trap the rain waters that flow down from the Western Ghats into the Arabian sea.
At the micro level, we should revive water bodies through afforestation like Rajendra Singh, a well-known water conservationist, has done in Rajasthan. In cities like Delhi, Chennai and Bengaluru, water bodies should be cleared of all encroachments.