Words vs Work

Words vs Work

2021 World Water Day celebrates the theme ‘Valuing Water’. The United Nations WWDR (World Water Development Report) 2021, highlights the importance of conserving, protecting and sustaining water resources, recognizing, measuring and expressing water’s worth, and incorporating it into decision-making. The report highlights the imperativeness of having control over the use of water and key water sources. Putting value to water makes the use water and the source of water have a value that converts to a monetary amount thus showing the loss in its misuse.

UN reports get all the respect they deserve and Governments world over cry themselves hoarse over what they have been doing towards protecting and conserving water. These reports also figure prominently in their publications. However these report do not figure at all in any future or ongoing programs. The prime reason is that by doing so they may put a stop to a few corporate plans. More importantly they will be taking on a task that will require effort, use key resources and tuning Government Machinery to fit in with these plans. Which is not something that Governments, especially Governments in India, Centre or State are too keen on.

There have always been bards who scribble heart rending poetry and sing moaning tunes on the destruction of water bodies. They decry the manner in which water bodies are used and shed tears for the impending demise of these valuable resources.  However, after all the hue and cry and posturing, we are yet to see one of these lovers of water take one step toward protection of a water body, nor do we see them put control on the way, they themselves use and misuse water.

We are proud of the fact that without tunes or trumpet calls, we set forth on a mission to revive a precious water body. We saw what the worth of this lake was, we conveyed the message to all those around, set about getting our hands wet to do the needful and today have something to show the world for it.  The doggerel was missing as was the pomp. Yet today the gleaming water shine in hope, inspiring us to do the same with other such lakes around.

Vellayani was only the start of a great drive. There are lakes and water sources, big and small, awaiting intervention. When the tiny gurgling brooks that shed water into the little stream, which in turn flows to join together to form rivers, the most important resources on earth is being made available to mankind – Water. All the gold in the world or for that matter oil, can never quench thirst. Only water can. Rather than writing lyre from the comforts of your armchair or the seat of power in Government, it may behoove you well to step out of to the banks and pull those weeds out, those that never were there, naturally, step out and prevent them that litter,  and gather those that want these water sources to survive. Trust me, words will stay only on paper, work will keep the lake alive. Together let us pledge on this World Water Day, where we start valuing water as the greatest resource, that we, in our life time shall never allow even a rivulet to dry up due to misuse or overuse.