Tag: rainwaterharvesting

Panel recommends new central body to mitigate water woes due to lack of agency coordination

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The Parliamentary Standing Committee report also found excessive dependence on groundwater

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State- and central-level bodies that currently bear responsibility for issues related to water, lack coordination between them, a Parliamentary Standing Committee report has noted.

The report, tabled in the Lok Sabha two weeks ago, also recommended the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti (water resources) constitute a central body with representation from the bodies.

The bodies, alluded to by the committee, include:

  • The Union Ministry of Rural Development, and Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare
  • State departments, state and central pollution control boards
  • Dedicated authorities such as the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA)

Groundwater is a valuable but diminishing resource, concluded the report accessed by DTE.

State- and central-level bodies that currently bear responsibility for issues related to water, lack coordination between them, a Parliamentary Standing Committee report has noted.

The report, tabled in the Lok Sabha two weeks ago, also recommended the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti (water resources) constitute a central body with representation from the bodies.

The bodies, alluded to by the committee, include:

  • The Union Ministry of Rural Development, and Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare
  • State departments, state and central pollution control boards
  • Dedicated authorities such as the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) and the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA)

Groundwater is a valuable but diminishing resource, concluded the report accessed by DTE on March 31, 2023.

The Committee observed that dependence on groundwater for irrigation was excessive. This was so because water-intensive crops like paddy and sugarcane command higher minimum support prices (MSP), it noted.

Prior to this, the Committee couldn’t finalize a report and the subject was again taken up in its successive tenures — 2020-21, 2021-22, and 2022-23 — for detailed examination.

The development came in concurrence to the release of a United Nations report raising grave concern on “groundwater depletion as a global issue”. The latter had brought to light the reporting of significant groundwater depletion in China, India, Pakistan, the United States, and Australia

“Laws on groundwater management were passed in 19 states based on a model Bill circulated in 1970 and last revised in 2005. The Committee observed difficulties in implementing these laws due to the lack of guidelines,” it was argued in the Lok Sabha.

The Committee, meanwhile, recommended the Department of water resources, river development, and ganga rejuvenation takes urgent action in this regard.

The three departments should engage with the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare to encourage fewer water-intensive cultivation crops and cultivation patterns, it asserted.

The Committee went on to observe widespread groundwater contamination “resulting from industrial activity”. They recommended that more funds under Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), which aims to provide households with safe drinking water, can be allocated to areas with groundwater contamination.

“A lack of sharing of data and coordination between bodies responsible for addressing groundwater pollution such as state government departments, pollution control boards, and agencies such as the CGWA,” it underlined and recommended the proposed central groundwater authority should coordinate between them.

“The authority, once formed, should formulate a policy on groundwater pollution,” the report said.  Personnel and resource shortages hinder state and central pollution control boards, it was further alleged. In this wake, the Committee insisted on addressing the shortage.

It further recommended amendment of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, “to enable pollution control boards to impose monetary penalties, as a less severe penalty than the outright closure of industrial units

More ‘reforms’?

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The panel also recommended the modification of schemes like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana to support the rejuvenation of existing water bodies.

There are schemes for recharging groundwater through rainwater harvesting in urban areas, such as Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT). The Committee recommended that the Jal Shakti ministry coordinate these efforts.

Urban local bodies should be given more funds to maintain water bodies. The Atal Bhujal Yojana provides central financial assistance to state governments and local bodies for projects related to groundwater management.

The Committee recommended the scheme’s extension to all states facing groundwater scarcity as it is currently being piloted only in seven states.

Parallel to the release dates of the two mentioned reports, DTE had analyzed the groundwater crisis in Punjab state. This was also in the wake of the 2023 Global Water Conference organized in New York City in March, with an aim to raise awareness, define a roadmap and advance the water agenda.

Neerain is proud to republish this blog for spreading awareness about the situation of water, for our stakeholders. Credit whatsoever goes to the Author.

 

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https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/water/panel-recommends-new-central-body-to-mitigate-water-woes-due-to-lack-of-agency-coordination-88616

 

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Author: Zumbish

Publish On: 04 April 2023

 

 

Why Rainwater Harvesting is Crucial to Solving India’s Water Woes

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India is reeling under the most severe water crisis in its history for several reasons including two consecutive monsoons that failed.

According to a Composite Water Management Index (CWMI) report released by NITI Aayog nearly 600 million people, which is almost 50% of the country’s population, are facing water shortage issues right now.

One of the many options that we have to ease the water shortage issue is implementing rainwater harvesting. Given the critical situation that we are in, it’s now more important than ever to install rainwater harvesting systems and make it a mandatory fixture in houses and apartments.

In this post, we explore the reasons behind the water crisis and how rainwater harvesting can help.

Why is India facing a severe water shortage?

In addition to inadequate monsoons, there are several reasons why India’s water supply is diminishing rapidly.

Depletion of groundwater

According to the UNESCO World Water Development Report, India is the biggest extractor of groundwater in the world, drawing 260 cubic km per year, which is more than China and the US combined. That comes up to 25% of the groundwater extracted globally. With 21 Indian cities expected to run out of groundwater, India is faced with an alarmingly dry future with the need to not just replenish its water sources but also change the way it sources water.

Infrastructure and wastage

India’s shoddy infrastructure has led to improper distribution and large amounts of water being wasted. Statistics from the Central Water Commission reveal that India receives as much as 4,000 billion cubic metres of rainfall, but only a mere 8% of that is captured efficiently. Leaky pipes, limited or ageing storage infrastructure like dams, and lack of recycling systems like rainwater harvesting have worsened India’s water crisis.

Uneven distribution

India’s pipelines are notorious for not just being old but also for not being present in hilly terrains or rural areas. Even if there are connections, the supply is highly restricted and is time-bound, making it challenging to access. This, in turn, has given rise to the water mafia, which ensures that water reaches only those who can afford it.

Contamination and pollution

India is fast losing its water bodies to rapid real estate development, environmental degradation, and industrial pollution. The lack of proper wastewater treatment systems has also compounded the issue.

How rainwater harvesting can help

Recycling and reusing water is important, but it needs to be amply supported by rainwater harvesting. No doubt, contaminated lakes and ponds are a big source of precious water, but it is much easier to simply store rainfall. It is more affordable, less time-consuming, and easier to implement than the complicated systems that are required for wastewater treatment.

Rainwater harvesting also helps in reducing India’s dependence on groundwater and private sources like tankers.

There are myriad ways in which rainwater can be captured and stored like installing rain barrels with pipes, hanging rain funnelling chains, rooftop containers that channel rainwater into sumps and borewells, and if you have space, then setting up a mini-reservoir in your garden.

Following any of these simple DIY processes can drastically reduce or even eliminate your water bills, and cushion the impact as well as slow down climate change. Most importantly, it can help an entire country quench its thirst with unlimited water.

Neerain is proud to republish this article for spreading awareness about situation of water, for our stakeholders. Credit whatsoever goes to the Author.

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https://roofandfloor.thehindu.com/raf/real-estate-blog/rainwater-harvesting-crucial-to-solving-indias-water-woes/.\

Author:  Prof. SWATI NAIR

Publish On: 18TH JULY 2019

Let’s not go for a dry run

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If you knew that water covers 70% of our planet, you would imagine there’s no scarcity of this precious resource. If you also knew that naturally occurring freshwater, with low levels of dissolved solids and other salts, used for drinking, bathing, washing, and irrigation, constitutes 3% of the world’s water, you’d be alarmed. More so when you realize that two-thirds of such freshwater is frozen in glaciers and is unavailable.

The World Wide Fund for Nature estimates that 1.1 billion people lack access to water globally and 2.4 billion high purity. suffer from inadequate sanitation, re- resulting in diseases like cholera, typhoid, diarrhea, and other waterborne diseases. The scarcity of water also affects the growth of crops, contributing to food insecurity.

In addition, it has manifested in many civil and international conflicts with Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, Darfur, Sudan, Somalia, Peru, and Brazil having experienced severe conflicts over water.

What are the main causes of this scarcity? Climate change is a major contributor. Higher temperatures enhance evaporation levels, disrupt rain patterns, cause flooding and deplete water reserves. Overpopulation is another, particularly in water-stressed areas such as West Asia, India, and China. Inefficient water use, mainly for grain production and in the textile, farm products, beverages, and automotive industries are also critical.

The strain on the earth’s finite resources makes this an urgent issue, calling for new visioning, higher-order regulation, reclamation, and the deployment of potent technologies.

Photo courtesy: Chris Madden

In the words of Lucas van Vuuren of the National Institute of Water Research in South Africa, ‘Water should not be judged by its history, but by its quality.’ Widely used processes for reclamation include:

  • Membrane bioreactor solutions that combine membrane processes and biological treatment, involving bacteria and protozoa.

  • Ultrafiltration, a pressure-driven barrier that separates small particles and molecules to produce water of high purity.

  • Reverse osmosis, typically used for desalination of pre-treated water for drinking purposes that flushes out bacteria, pathogens, and pesticides.

  • Electrodialysis reversal, a durable membrane system that relies on polarity reversal for treating turbid wastewater; and thermal evaporation and crystallization for treating complex wastewater.

The fact that the energy content in waste is far greater than the energy needed for its treatment is what’s encouraging new thinking on the subject.

Smart ideas combined with digital technology can yield numerous and substantial benefits.

Checking water consumption is an excellent first step. Smart meters enable consumption monitoring and analytics to sense patterns and provide insights to encourage conservation. San Francisco reduced voluntary water consumption by 10% this way.

Digital tools are particularly useful – in providing real-time information to dissuade high-cost consumption during peak periods. Singapore has cut the demand for water by 30% with such proactive interventions.

Overpopulation is another cause for scarcity, particularly in water-stressed areas such as West Asia, India, and China.

Photo Courtesy: Peepli Live

Sensors can continuously monitor quality parameters, including pH levels, bacteria, residual chlorine, temperature, turbidity, and contaminants. Early detection ensures timely mitigation. Many cities, including Chicago, New York, and London, use digital sensors to reduce waterborne diseases.

Water treatment plants can also reduce energy consumption with real-time monitoring. Advanced analytics and modeling techniques can predict demand and optimize pumping and maintenance schedules, improving operational efficiencies significantly.

Sensors can detect leaks in water pipes and distribution systems. Earl y action can save substantial water losses, optimize maintenance schedules, and extend the lifespan of the infrastructure. Barcelona has deployed sensors with a GIS system to isolate and reduce water leakage in aging pipes by 25%. Smart instances by 50%.

In flood situations, digital technologies like remote sensing, advanced analytics, and predictive modeling are used extensively to create early warning systems and facilitate pre-emptive actions, vastly improving emergency response.

World Bank data suggests India is a highly water-stressed country with 18% of the world’s population and just 4% of its water. NITI Aayog predicts that 21 Indian cities will run out of groundwater in 2030, affecting 40% of India’s population. A recent EY article, “Water 4.0: Digital Journey of Water’, underscores how advanced technologies

When will we create water in the lab at scale combining two hydrogen atoms with one oxygen atom that feeds flames?


Photo Courtesy: Brain On

like artificial intelligence (AI), advanced analytics, the Industrial Internet of Things (IoT), smart grids, neural networks, and digital twinning dominate ‘Smart Water’.

It references the Delhi Jal Board’s use of IoT, AI, and predictive analytics to treat wastewater and signal high water levels in sewers and potential pi- pipeline bursts; and Central Water Com- mission’s work that leverages machine learning (ML) and inundation modeling to predict flooding and sends out timely alerts, a system now being scaled up to cover most river systems across India.

What’s ahead? When will we create water in the lab at scale-combining two flammable hydrogen atoms with one oxygen atom that feeds flames? The jury’s out on that. Extracting water from the air as water vapor, like the Whisson Windmill that produces 2,600 gallons daily at low cost, seems a worthy alternative.

It’s riveting to see technology being used not just to avoid war among communities and nations in a water-starved world but to calm the wrath of nature.

Neerain is proud to republish this Article for spreading awareness about the situation of water, for our stakeholders. Credit whatsoever goes to the Author.

This article is published by: –

The Economic Times

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Author: Anil Nair

Publish On: July 1, 2023

 

 

Water should be the next important environmental target for India

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Environmental targets are becoming common place in the current global scenario, with a large focus on reducing emissions. Unrestricted emissions lead to global warming and resulting climate change and could cause catastrophic damage to life on earth in the coming decades, some predictions say as early as 2050. There has been a start towards action, with most countries committing to reduce emissions and planning steps accordingly. Another crisis that needs immediate attention is that of water, more so in developing countries like India, where a significant number of people lack access to safe water source. Overuse of available water sources, wastage, contamination, and mismanagement may lead to severe crisis in the near future and result in several related issues on health and livelihood, probably much earlier than emissions related impact.

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India has 18% of world’s population but only 4% of world’s freshwater resources. As per available Government data, the per capita availability of water at national level is about 1500 m3 per year, which is below the globally recognized threshold of water stress (1700 m3 per year), thereby making India a water stressed country. Water availability is varied annually across seasons and regions as is visible in the frequent droughts and floods. Increasing population, coupled with urbanization and economic growth are expected to increase the water demand further, and apply great stress on the water ecosystem. Though the primary goal may be to ensure access to clean water for all citizens, there is an urgent need for a holistic approach to better manage this precious shared resource.

Firstly, there is a need to arrive at clear data regarding water availability and usage. Accurate real-time data will provide inputs for implementing the right solutions, as well as help in demand side water management measures. In the age of technological advancements, there is enough knowhow on creating the right infrastructure for water treatment, supply, distribution, and technology for monitoring consumption. These are essential for effective water management. The aim should be to develop a water balance on a large scale, like a city / state level, and track key parameters such as available sources of water, total usage, per capita usage, sector-wise usage, etc. This would not only help in ensuring right action for implementation but also provide policy inputs on a long-term basis. Singapore is a good example of a reasonably large scale and effective water management, and long-term planning on water sources.

Photo courtesy: Istock

Another important aspect would be to set clear measurable targets for water management at a national level and percolating down to state and city level. Like for Renewable Energy adoption in India, where every state is obligated to have a certain percentage of electricity from renewables, targets need to be set for water too. For example: water consumption, % losses in the network, use of recycled water, % of wastewater treated, groundwater usage, etc. for different sectors. It may be a difficult task but can be taken up through a stage-wise approach, starting as a part of the smart city project of the Government, and then replicated to other cities and smaller towns. Aggressive targets can drive decisive action and accountability at various levels.

Then comes the enablement through policy and regulatory framework. Stringent guidelines on water management coupled with effective enforcement is the need of the hour to address water crisis. Whether it is groundwater or freshwater from other sources, enforcement becomes effective with clear targets and monitoring of important data. Water should be charged based on consumption, irrespective of the sector – agriculture, industry or domestic. While the enforcement on water usage and effluent discharge can be in the form of penalties, policies on groundwater usage need to be more carefully defined since groundwater being a shared resource can affect a large area. Policy should mandate the use of water conservation techniques, implementation of rainwater harvesting and set clear limits for groundwater usage. Disclosures on water usage should be mandated for the corporate sector, and water should be an important aspect in the ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) goals of companies in the Indian context.

Most of the water in India is used for agriculture. On a long-term basis, the agricultural patterns in India are expected to change and adapt based on water availability. But for domestic usage, a holistic water management with effective measures on water conservation, rainwater harvesting, and wastewater treatment will go a long way in ensuring water availability. 

Water is the basis for human survival and development. Conserving this precious resource needs commitment, decisive and urgent action at all levels. Targets similar to the ‘Panchamrit’ which talks about the promises made by India on emissions reduction are necessary for water as well in the Indian context. With the skills and technology available today, coupled with effective regulatory framework, it is possible to move towards self-sufficiency, adequacy, and safe water access for all.

Neerain is proud to republish this blog for spreading awareness about situation of water, for our stake holders. Credit whatsoever goes to the Author.

This blog is published by: –

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/voices/water-should-be-the-next-important-environmental-target-for-india/

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Author: Guruprakash Sastry

Publish On: March 21, 2022

 

ગુજરાતીએ બનાવેલી પ્રોડક્ટની US સહિત 5થી વધુ દેશોમાં માગ : મોટા પેકેજની નોકરી છોડી વોટર હાર્વેસ્ટિંગ માટે પાણી સાફ કરતું સસ્તું ડિવાઇસ બનાવ્યું, કંપનીનું ટર્નઓવર કરોડોમાં

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ચોમાસાની શરૂઆતથી જ દેશનાં અનેક રાજ્યોમાં પૂરની સ્થિતિ જોવા મળી. ગુજરાતમાં પણ અનેક જગ્યાએ વરસાદના કારણે ઘણા વિસ્તારો જળબંબાકાર થઈ ગયા હતા. પરંતુ બીજી તરફ ચોમાસા સિવાય દેશભરમાં પાણી માટે ઘણા લોકોને વલખાં મારવાં પડે છે. પાણી એ આપણી મૂળભૂત જરૂરિયાતોમાંનું એક છે. પરંતુ અવ્યવસ્થાના કારણે પાણી જીવલેણ મુસીબત પણ બની શકે છે. આવી પરિસ્થિતિનો વિચાર કરીને એક ગુજરાતી યુવાન અમિત દોશીએ પોતાની સૂઝબૂઝથી એક ખાસ પ્રોડક્ટ બનાવી છે.

17 વર્ષ ખાનગી કંપનીમાં કામ કર્યું, વિદેશમાં જઈને પણ નોકરી કરી આવ્યા, છેવટે હિમ્મતભેર એક પગલું ભર્યું અને આ ગુજરાતીએ એવી કંપની બનાવી જેનું ટર્નઓવર હવે કરોડોમાં છે. કારણ કે તેમણે પોતાના અનુભવના આધારે બનાવેલી એક વસ્તુની જરૂર આજના સમયે એટલી જરૂરી છે કે મોટા-મોટા બિલ્ડર પણ તેમનો સંપર્ક કરી રહ્યા છે. અમેરિકા સહિત વિશ્વના 5થી પણ વધુ દેશોમાં પણ આ પ્રોડક્ટની માગ છે.

અમિત દોશીએ કહ્યું, ‘મારું મૂળ વતન વિજાપુર છે. અત્યારે અમદાવાદ રહું છું. મેં વર્ષ 1996 ગવર્નમેન્ટ પોલિટેક્નિકમાંથી ડિપ્લોમા ઇન પ્લાસ્ટિક એન્જિનિયરિંગ પૂરું કર્યું હતું. ત્યાર બાદ વર્ષ 1997થી 2001 સુધી મેં સિન્ટેક્સ કંપનીમાં નોકરી કરી હતી. ત્યાર પછી નાઈજીરિયાની એક કંપનીમાં એક વર્ષ સુધી કામ કર્યું પરંતુ પિતાનું અવસાન થતાં હું પરત ફર્યો હતો અને ફરી સિન્ટેક્સ કંપનીમાં વર્ષ 2002થી 2014 સુધી કામ કર્યું હતું. જ્યાં ટેક્નિકલ સર્વિસ ડિપાર્ટમેન્ટથી શરૂ કરી એન્વાયરમેન્ટલ ડિવિઝનના માર્કેટિંગ હેડ તરીકે નોકરી કરી. મુખ્યત્વે સોલિડ વેસ્ટ મેનેજમેન્ટનું કાર્ય હું સંભાળતો હતો.’

વરસાદી પાણીને વોટર હાર્વેસ્ટિંગ માટે સાફ કરવા ડિવાઈસ બનાવનાર અમિત દોશી.

‘જ્યારે વર્ષ 2014માં મેં નોકરી છોડવાનો વિચાર કર્યો ત્યારે સૌથી પહેલો પ્રશ્ન એ હતો કે આગળ શું કરવું? પોતાનો બિઝનેસ કરવાનો વિચાર હતો. બિઝનેસ પણ એવો જે સામાન્ય માણસની તકલીફને દૂર કરે. મેં અલગ-અલગ વિષયો પર અભ્યાસ કર્યો. પર્યાવરણમાં એફ્લૂઅન્ટ ટ્રીટમેન્ટ, સુએજ ટ્રીટમેન્ટ, વોટર ડિસ્ટ્રિબ્યુશન, વોટર પૉલ્યુશન, એર પૉલ્યુશન, વોટર મોનિટરિંગ આવાં અનેક ક્ષેત્રોમાં મોટા પ્રમાણમાં બિઝનેસ થઈ રહ્યો છે. આ સ્ટડી કર્યા પછી મને લાગ્યું કે નોકરી છોડ્યા બાદ બિઝનેસ કરીશ તો મારી પાસે તેને શરૂ કરવા માટે રૂપિયા નથી. મારી પાસે ફક્ત મારો અનુભવ છે. મારી આવડત, કામ કરવાની બૌદ્ધિક ક્ષમતા છે, માર્કેટિંગની આવડત અને પર્યાવરણ પ્રત્યે મારું પેશન છે. ત્યારે વિચાર આવ્યો કે રેઇન વોટર હાર્વેસ્ટિંગ એક એવો વિષય છે જેને લઈને હજી પણ લોકો જાગૃત નથી. ભારતના મોટાભાગના લોકોએ હજુ રેઇન વોટર હાર્વેસ્ટિંગના કોન્સેપ્ટને અપનાવ્યો નથી. આપણે ત્યાં સારો એવો વરસાદ થતો હોવા છતાં પણ 60 ટકાથી વધુ વસતિ પાણીની તંગી ભોગવી રહી છે. પાણી લેવા દૂર-દૂર જવું પડે છે. આપણા દેશે તો દુનિયાને વાવ જેવાં સ્થાપત્યો દ્વારા વરસાદી પાણીના સંગ્રહનો વિચાર સદીઓ પહેલાં આપી દીધો હતો. પણ આજની પરિસ્થિતિ કથળી ગઈ. કારણ કે એ સિદ્ધાંતો આપણે મોડર્ન સ્ટાઇલમાં અપનાવી ન શક્યા. આજના સમયની જરૂરિયાત મુજબ તેમાં ફેરફાર ન કર્યા. જેના કારણે આપણે એ તરફ પછાત રહી ગયા. મને થયું કે આ ક્ષેત્રે ખૂબ કામ કરવાનું બાકી છે. આમાં કંઈક કરીએ તો સામાન્ય માણસની પાણીની તકલીફ દૂર કરી શકીએ.’

ધાબા પરથી પડતું પાણી સાફ કરતું ડિવાઈસ
‘નોકરી છોડ્યા પછી વરસાદી પાણીના સંગ્રહ પર અભ્યાસ કરીને કન્સલ્ટિંગનું કામ શરૂ કર્યું. વર્ષ 2014થી 2018 સુધી વરસાદી પાણીના સંગ્રહને લગતા કામકાજ અને અલગ-અલગ પ્રોડક્ટસ શરૂ કરી. આ દરમિયાન વિચાર આવ્યો કે સામાન્ય લોકો હજુ પણ બોરવેલ કે પાણીના એક જ સ્ત્રોત પર નિર્ભર છે. બોરવેલ સુકાઈ જાય કે ઓછું પાણી આવે તો લોકોને ઘણી મુશ્કેલી થાય છે. જ્યારે એ જ વિસ્તારમાં ચોમાસામાં સારો એવો વરસાદ પણ થાય છે. પરંતુ આ પાણીના સંગ્રહ માટે એવી કોઈ વસ્તુ નથી. મેં આ દિશામાં કામ શરૂ કર્યું. મને થયું કે એવું કોઈ નાનું ડિવાઇસ બનાવીએ જેનાથી ધાબા પર રહેલો કચરો વરસાદી પાણીમાંથી દૂર થઈ જાય અને વરસાદી પાણી આપમેળે જ સંગ્રહિત થઈને વાપરવા મળે તો જીવન ખૂબ સરળ થઈ જાય.’

અમિત દોશીએ ડિઝાઈન કરીને બનાવેલું ડિવાઈસ

નજરે ન પડતો કચરો પણ આવી રીતે સાફ થઈ જાય
અમિત દોશી જણાવે છે કે, ‘આ ડિવાઈસ બનાવતા પહેલાં અમે વરસાદી પાણી માટેના અલગ-અલગ ચેમ્બર્સ અને ફિલ્ટર્સનો અભ્યાસ કર્યો. જેના જે પણ તારણો આવ્યાં તેનાથી નક્કી કર્યું કે એવું ડિવાઈસ બનાવીએ જે સસ્તું હોય, વૈજ્ઞાનિક રીતે પણ સારી ક્વોલિટીનું હોય, વધુ પડતી જગ્યા ન રોકે, દીવાલ પર લાગી જાય, વરસાદી પાણીનો સંગ્રહ થતો હોય તેને મૉનિટર કરી શકાય, કોઈ પણ મેન્ટનન્સ ન આવે, ઝીણામાં ઝીણો કચરો ફિલ્ટર થઈ જાય, પાણીનો વેડફાટ ન થાય, કોઈ પણ પ્લમ્બર તેને સરળતાથી લગાવી શકે. આવા મુદ્દાઓને ધ્યાનમાં રાખીને એક બાય દોઢ ફૂટના ડિવાઈસની ડિઝાઈન તૈયારી કરી. જેમાં બધું જ પાણી 400 માઈક્રૉનના પહેલા ફિલ્ટરમાંથી અને 200 માઈક્રૉનમાં બીજા ફિલ્ટરમાંથી પસાર થાય છે. એટલે નાનામાં નાના કણ પણ અને કચરો રોકાઈ જાય છે. આમ શુદ્ધ વરસાદી પાણીનો સંગ્રહ થઈ શકે છે. એ પાણી પાઇપ દ્વારા સીધું જ ટાંકી, બોરવેલ અથવા કૂવામાં લઈ શકાય. આ પ્રક્રિયામાં એક પણ ટીપું વેડફાતું નથી.’

ધાબા પરથી કેટલું ચોખ્ખું પાણી મળે?
‘1200 સ્ક્વેર ફૂટનું ધાબું હોય તો 2 ઈંચ વરસાદમાં 4 હજારથી સાડા 4 હજાર લિટર પાણી મળે. અમદાવાદનું ઉદાહરણ આપું તો આખી સિઝન 60થી 65 હજાર લિટર પાણી મળે. એ પાણી શુદ્ધ હોય છે, સ્વાસ્થ્ય માટે પણ સારું હોય છે. ફ્લેટમાં જો 5 હજાર સ્ક્વેર ફૂટનું ધાબું હોય તો 2 ઈંચના વરસાદમાં 25 હજાર લિટર પાણી મળે. એટલે આખી સિઝન 3 લાખ લિટર પાણી મળે. આ પાણીનું સંચય ન કરવામાં આવે તો ધાબા પરથી જમીન પર આવે અને રસ્તા પર પાણી ભરાઈ જાય. એટલે એ જ પાણી આપણને ઘણું નુકસાન કરે છે. અમે બનાવેલું ડિવાઈસ લગાવવાથી પહેલાં જ વર્ષે 5 હજાર રૂપિયામાં 60 હજાર લિટર પાણી મળે છે. એની એક લિટરની કિંમત શું થઈ? સાવ નજીવી!’

આવી રીતે બોરવેલમાં પહોંચે છે વરસાદી પાણી
‘બોરવેલમાં 4થી 6 ઈંચની એક કેસિંગ પાઇપ હોય છે. જેમાં એક કોલમ પાઇપ હોય. તેના છેડે સબમર્સિબલ પંપ પાણીમાં ડૂબેલો હોય છે. એ પંપ દ્વારા કોલમ પાઇપ મારફતે પાણી આપણને મળે છે. જ્યારે વરસાદી પાણી ધાબાથી નીચે આવે તેની લાઇનમાં વોટર ફિલ્ટર લગાવી દેવામાં આવે છે. જેથી પાણી ચોખ્ખું થઈ જાય છે. આ પાઇપને બોરવેલની મોટી કેસિંગ પાઇપ સાથે જોડી દેવામાં આવે છે. જેથી વરસાદનું પાણી ચોખ્ખું થઈને બોરવેલમાં જતું રહે. જેના કારણે બોરવેલના પાણીના તળ ઉપર આવે છે અને આખું તળ રિજનરેટ થઈ જાય છે. એટલે બોરવેલને સુકાતો બચાવે છે. બોરવેલના પાણીનું TDS અને હાર્ડનેશ ડાયલ્યુશન ઇફેક્ટથી ઘટે છે.

આ ડિવાઈસમાં લાગેલા ફિલ્ટરને કોઈ પણ વ્યક્તિ આસાનીથી ખોલીને સાફ કરી શકે છે.

ક્યાં-ક્યાં છે આ ડિવાઈસની માગ?
‘અમે નિરેન નામથી ડિવાઈસ લોન્ચ કર્યું હતું. 3 વર્ષમાં 4 હજારથી વધુ ડિવાઈસનું ઈન્સ્ટોલેશન થયું છે. દેશમાં સૌથી વધુ વેચાણ ગુજરાતમાં છે. એ પછી કર્ણાટક, મધ્યપ્રદેશ તમિલનાડુ, કેરળ અને રાજસ્થાનમાં થાય છે. વિદેશમાં આફ્રિકા, નોર્થ અમેરિકા, નેપાળમાં પણ ડિવાઈસ ઇન્સ્ટોલ કર્યા છે. વિદેશમાં સૌથી વધુ 200 ડિવાઈસ નોર્થ અમેરિકામાં લગાવ્યાં છે. કુલ હિસાબ લગાવીએ તો અલગ-અલગ જગ્યાએ થઈને અત્યાર સુધી લગભગ 90 કરોડથી વધુ લિટર પાણી બચ્યું છે. આ સિઝનના આંકડા ઉમેરીએ તો કદાચ 125 કરોડ લિટર સુધી આંકડો પહોંચશે.’

ડિવાઈસની કિંમત અને ઈન્સ્ટોલેશન
‘1200 સ્ક્વેર ફૂટના વિસ્તારમાં વરસાદી પાણીના સંગ્રહ માટે કામમાં આવતું આ ડિવાઈસ 2950 રૂપિયામાં મળે છે. તેની સાથે પ્લમ્બિંગનો ખર્ચ થાય. એટલે 6 હજાર રૂપિયાની અંદર ડિવાઈસ લાગી જાય. 20 વર્ષ સુધી કોઈ પણ પ્રકારની વીજળી કે મેન્ટનન્સ જેવો ખર્ચ આવતો નથી. કોઈ પણ પ્લમ્બર કે સામાન્ય વ્યક્તિ 4 સ્ક્રૂ મારફતે તેને દીવાલમાં લગાવી શકે. ટેક્નિકલ 4 ઈંચનો આઉટલેટ અને 4 ઈંચનો ઇનલેટ છે. મોટાભાગના ઘરમાં સરળતાથી લાગી જાય છે.’

અમિત દોશીએ બનાવેલી પ્રોડક્ટથી વરસાદી પાણીને સાફ કરીને તેનો ટાંકીમાં પણ સંગ્રહ કરી શકાય છે.

’80 ટકા પ્રોડક્ટ અમે રહેણાક મકાનમાં લગાવી છે. જેમાં મોટાભાગના મધ્યમ વર્ગના લોકો ગ્રાહક હોય છે. જ્યારે 20 ટકા ડિવાઈસ અમે ઇન્ડસ્ટ્રીમાં લગાવ્યાં છે. ગુજરાતમાં સૌથી વધુ માગ વડોદરામાં જોવા મળી. ત્યાં આસપાસ નવા ડેવલપમેન્ટ બોરવેલ પર આધાર રાખે છે. બોરવેલ સુકાઈ જવાની ફરિયાદો હતી. હવે બોરવેલ રિચાર્જ થયા એટલે આખું વર્ષ પાણી ઘટતું નથી. ગામડામાં જેમને પોતાના બોર છે એ લોકો, જ્યારે શહેરમાં સંસ્થાઓ અને બંગલામાં રહેતા લોકો વધુ પ્રોડક્ટ લે છે. શરૂઆત કરી એ વર્ષે એટલે કે 2020 માં 5 લાખનું ટર્ન ઓવર હતું. ગયા વર્ષે એક કરોડ રૂપિયાનું ટર્નઓવર ક્રોસ કર્યું. આ વર્ષે ડબલ કરવાનો ટાર્ગેટ છે.’

સરકારે પણ જળ સંચય માટે નિયમ બનાવ્યા છે
અમિત દોશીએ એક કિસ્સો યાદ કરતા કહ્યું, ‘બિલ્ડર સાથે વાત કરીએ ત્યારે તેઓ કહે છે કે, અમે સરકારના નિયમોનું પાલન કરવા માટે જળસંગ્રહની વ્યવસ્થા કરીએ જ છીએ. પણ નિયમોના કારણે થતાં આ કામના લીધે કેટલીક વખત જળસંગ્રહની વાત ફક્ત કાગળ પર જ રહી જાય છે. અમદાવાદમાં દર વર્ષે અંદાજે 15 ટકા બોરવેલ સુકાઈ જાય છે. આ મુશ્કેલીનો સરળતાથી નજીવા ખર્ચે ઉકેલ લાવી શકાય એમ છે.’

‘માત્ર પત્નીને જ જાણ હતી કે નોકરી છોડી દીધી છે’
બે અલગ-અલગ કંપનીઓમાં થઈને લગભગ 17 વર્ષ નોકરી કર્યા બાદ પોતાનો બિઝનેસ શરૂ કરવામાં કેવી મુશ્કેલીઓ આવી, તે અંગે વાત કરતા અમિત દોશી કહે છે કે, ‘મેં સિન્ટેક્સમાં નાના ડસ્ટબિનથી લઈને 300 કરોડ રૂપિયા સુધીના પ્રોજેક્ટ પર કામ કર્યું હતું. પરંતુ જ્યારે નોકરી છોડી પોતાનો ધંધો કરવાનો વિચાર આવ્યો ત્યારે નક્કી કર્યું હતું કે ક્યારેય હું બિઝનેસ નહીં કરું. કારણ કે વર્ષ 1997થી બનાવેલી ગુડવિલ અને સંબંધોનો સવાલ હતો. મેં નોકરી છોડી, ત્યારે 2 વર્ષ સુધી ઘરમાં કેટલા રૂપિયાની જરૂર પડશે તે નક્કી કરીને 4 લાખ રૂપિયા અલગ રાખી દીધા હતા. નોકરી છોડી તેની બે વર્ષ સુધી મારા ઘરમાં પત્નીને જ જાણ હતી. કારણ કે જો આ વાત બહાર જાય તો બીજા લોકો કહેતાં કે આટલી સારી નોકરી કેમ છોડી? લોકોને નોકરી મળતી નથી. આવા સવાલોથી હું બચી ગયો. કારણ કે આવી વાતોથી મારી અને પરિવારની માનસિકતા પર નકારાત્મક અસર થઈ શકે. નોકરી છોડ્યા બાદ મને એ જ કંપનીમાંથી ફોન આવ્યો. હું મળવા ગયો ત્યાં મને કહેવામાં આવ્યું કે, તમે અમારી કંપની કરતાં અલગ ફિલ્ડમાં કામ કરો છો. એટલે તમે અમારી સાથે રહીને કન્સલ્ટિંગનું કામ કરી શકો છો. જેના 50 હજાર રૂપિયા મહિને નક્કી થયા. એટલે મારે ઘરનું ટેન્શન વધુ હળવું થઈ ગયું.’

છેલ્લાં ચાર વર્ષમાં ઘણાં રહેણાક મકાનો અને સંસ્થાઓની ઈમારતોમાં જળ સંચય માટે આ પદ્ધતિ અપનાવવામાં આવી છે.

‘મારા બિઝનેસ માટે બે વર્ષ સુધી ઘરેથી કામ કર્યું. એ પછી 2016માં એક ઓફિસ ભાડે લીધી અને પોતાની પ્રોડક્ટ બનાવવા પર ફોકસ કર્યુ. વર્ષ 2018થી પોતાની ઓફિસ લીધી. ત્યારે જ મેં ડિવાઈસની ડિઝાઈન બનાવી હતી.’

AMC સાથે પણ કરાર કર્યા
‘અત્યારે ભારત સરકારની મદદ લઈને અમદાવાદ મ્યુનિસિપલ કોર્પોરેશન સાથે MOU કરીને 8 સંસ્થાઓમાં આ સિસ્ટમ લગાવી છે. એ માટે ભારત સરકારે 20 લાખ રૂપિયા પણ આપ્યા છે. અમારી પ્રોડક્ટ બનાવવા માટે મશીનરીનો ખૂબ ખર્ચ થાય એમ હતો. ત્યારે સ્ટાર્ટ-અપને પ્રોત્સાહન આપવાના ઉદ્દેશથી ભારત સરકારે ફરી મદદ કરી હતી.’

અમારા હિતધારકો માટે પાણીની પરિસ્થિતિ વિશે જાગૃતિ ફેલાવવા માટે આ લેખ પુનઃપ્રકાશિત કરવામાં નીરૈનને ગર્વ છે. 
જે પણ શ્રેય લેખકને જાય છે.
આ લેખ દ્વારા પ્રકાશિત કરવામાં આવ્યો છે: -
https://www.divyabhaskar.co.in/dvb-original/news/leaving-the-job-of-big-
package-and-made-a-cheap-device-that-cleans-water-neerain-amit-doshi-131546196.html

અમે સાથી ભારતીયોના લાભ માટે આને ફેલાવવા માંગીએ છીએ.

લેખક: સારથી એમ.સાગર
 
આ તારીખે પ્રકાશિત કરો: જુલાઈ 17, 2023.

5000 years ago, rain water was collected

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Photo courtesy: Divyabhaskar

Discovered at its eastern end along with the white desert after the 2001 earthquake, the unique city of the Indus Valley Civilization has found a global reach. 250 km from Bhuj. And 92 km from Rapar. The harappan city is located near Dholavira on the far side of The Khadir Bet. Khadir Is an island at the eastern end of the great desert of Kutch. It’s a desert. Thousands of years ago, this desert area was filled with huge water. The Indus or The Saraswati river met the Arabian Sea here. So in the real sense, it was the sea that was sinking here, and the villages on the banks of the desert were once inhabited by Harappan settlements. The essence of the saying is that Dholavira was a port in the Harappan town and there was a large-scale import and export from here. Now, after excavation, the city with a systematic urban town planning has come to light, it is spread over an area of 250 acres. Earlier, a huge tank was seen here and people used to call it Kotda Timbo, but now it is famous as Dholavira, one of the five cities of the Indus civilization. It is distinct from others in terms of size. It is divided into three parts. One part belongs to the RajMahal-Raj Bhavan or the residence of all authorities and is protected by a strong fort. Fortification is the city’s special debt. The second part is for a class like high officials, wealthy businessmen. In what archaeologists call the Upper Town, the third part belongs to the general working class, which is the Lower Town. Whether such a structure is part of the varna system of the Rigveda period is a matter of debate. What attracts more attention is that in other Harappan towns the construction is mostly made of bricks, while dholavira is made of square-rectangular stones. The palace is at a high altitude place. The houses for the wealthy merchant-officer class are two to five rooms and have protected walls made of stone. While the houses for the general working class are made of bricks. All the four gates of the palace are of carved stones. This kind of architecture has not been found anywhere else. Next to the palace is a huge playground-stadium. Which is a testimony to the competitive games with the ferocity of the time. A three-meter-long signboard has been found on the northern entrance of the palace. On which there are 10 letters or symbols written with beads. It could possibly be the name of the town or the name of the palace-king. But not only the signboards, but also the definitions received from other Harappan cities have not been resolved. However, the system that has been seen as an invaluable gift to human society as a whole is related to water storage, sewerage system and sanitation. In addition to rainwater harvesting, a network of canals and rivulets has been set up to transport water from distant rivers and streams to the city. There is a large water tank in the palace. Water reaches the palace through this drain. Even if there is a fortification, the flow of water continues as the tunnel is underground. Rainwater reaches reservoirs outside the village through small drains from the roofs of the house. It is surprising to know that there are about 14 to 16 large tanks or reservoirs around Dholavira Harappan town. Imagine all this happened 5000 years ago in India- Kutch. Alas, cleanliness and sanitation were given great importance. There was a private toilet facility. In this context, it has been claimed that the system, which is famously known as Western Toilet, was also here. Such a facility has not been seen in any other civilization of the world 5000 years ago. There is a sewage system here to drain out the used water. The water coming out of each house would go into the pot like a barn outside the house and from there to the gutter. Influenced by Dholavira’s rainwater harvesting method, the Prince of Wales Museum in Mumbai has emulated it. A well similar to the saloon found during excavation is also an important finding. From here, water can be taken to the houses and palaces of the city. The fountain is released from the top of the bathroom by a small nick.You can take a bath like that. Thousands of items have been found in Kutch during the excavation of the chaid year. There are plenty of clay samples. From pots to toys, but the beads are beautiful. There are copper kilns. A number of items such as seals(mahoras), garlands, tolas, aujaras, animal bones, ornaments, bronze utensils have been found. Which has crossed 59000. At present, all these valuables have been shifted to Delhi due to lack of adequate security. The town was a major export-based trading hub.

Neerain is proud to republish this blog for spreading awareness about situation of water, for our stake holders. Credit whatsoever goes to the Author.

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5000,5000 years ago, rainwater used to accumulate. <> years ago, a drop of rainwater was collected – Divya Bhaskar

We would like to spread this for the benefit of fellow Indians.

 

Author: Kirti Khatri

Efforts to save water will have to be intensified

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There are about 24 lakh water sources in India. This conclusion has come out in the country’s first water body census. These water sources include both rain and groundwater-rechargeable water sources.

This enumeration done by the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti (Water Resources) has geo-tagging all the water sources and linked all the ponds, tanks, chakbandhs and water reservoirs to each other on the basis of shadow images and latitude and longitude.

Photo courtesy: down to earth

As per the survey, 83 per cent of the water sources are used for fisheries, irrigation, groundwater-recharge and drinking water. It has also been clarified in this report that contrary to popular belief, encroachment has been found on only 1.6 percent of the reservoirs in this census.

There is no data available on the status of the catchment area of ​​these reservoirs to help determine how much groundwater is being recharged. But it is certain that this calculation is an important initiative in these present times of climate crisis.

We are well aware that the rains are getting more and more uncertain than ever before. Monsoon in India ( who is also considered as our real Finance Minister ) has become more severe now.

It simply means that it is raining in a few days and that too very fast and smoky. That’s why it is very important for us that wherever and however much it rains, we collect each and every drop of it.

From this point of view also, this water body census needs to increase the number of water sources and use well-planned methods to renovate the existing reservoirs, so that they can increase the ground water level by storing maximum rain water. These water reserves will be useful for us during the long season of no rain or drought.

Inevitably, we are bound to get caught in a vicious cycle of devastating drought every year and catastrophic floods every alternate year. But the truth is that this vicious cycle is now a “new normal” for us and it will have disastrous effects on the hydrology of the rivers.

There is only one way to reduce this magnitude of flood and drought, the passion to build lakhs of new reservoirs and connect them together to store rain water. Only by realizing this scheme, water in addition to flood can be stored to deal with the calamity of drought.

The future of our water depends on our judicious use of water. This is the lesson we need to learn from the interesting events of ancient Roma (Rome) and Edo (the city that became Tokyo).

The Romans used to build huge aqueducts, which stretched for ten kilometers each, to transport water to their settlements. Even today these reservoirs are a ubiquitous symbol of water management in their society. 

Experts have admired the Romans because they showed great skill in planning their water supply, but these aqueducts point not to their skill, but to the great Romans’ environmental mismanagement. Rome was built on the banks of the Tiber River. So this city did not need any other aqueduct.

But since Rome’s waste was discharged directly into the Tiber, the river was polluted and water had to be brought from far away. Sources of water were few, so the nobility used the practice of slavery to exploit those sources.

On the other hand, the traditional Japanese never throw their garbage in the rivers. They allowed those wastes to decompose naturally and used them as fertilizer in the fields. Besides rivers, there was no shortage of other sources of water in Edo. Their water supply system was free from any kind of social discrimination.

Photo courtesy:scroll.in

Meanwhile, the good news is that our water literacy has increased as compared to earlier. Over the past decades, the country has learned important lessons and developed a new approach to water management. Till the late 1980s, water management was generally confined to irrigation projects.

Dams and canals were mainly built during this period to store and supply water over long distances. But it was only then that the country faced a major famine in the late eighties and it became clear that simply increasing the amount of water through large projects was not enough.

At the same time the Center for Science and Environment (CSE) also published its report “Dying Wisdom”. The report mentioned the traditional techniques used for rainwater harvesting in India’s ecologically diverse regions.

The slogan of the report was – Rain falls not in one place, but in different places and its need is also in different places, so whenever and wherever it rains, its water needs to be saved then and there.

Today, many programs have been created with the aim of creating and reviving water sources. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme is already making a significant contribution in the construction of a large number of reservoirs.

Apart from this, the government has just announced Mission Amrit Sarovar, under which there is a plan to develop and revive 75 water sources in each district of the country to mark the completion of 75 years of India’s independence.   

Despite the interest in decentralizing water management, it is sure that not enough is being done to secure its future. The real reason for this is that there is no uniformity in our bureaucracy in policy-making regarding land and water.

The maintenance of the ponds is the responsibility of one agency, while the drainage and the catchment area are the responsibility of two different agencies. These rules need to be changed to conserve water.

Water management can be done more effectively by expanding the control of local communities over water sources and for this strengthening the roots of democracy and devolution of rights is necessary.  

But more important than all these things is to reduce the use of water in terms of quantity and spend every drop of it carefully. For this, there is a need to bring changes in the methods of irrigation, household appliances and food habits, so that we can choose our food crops economically from the water point of view.

It is high time, in the coming decade, we rewrite the water story in India by drawing lessons from our best practices. It’s very simple. For this we have to make this work the only major goal of our life.

We have to remember that water is related to our livelihood. It is related to our food and nutrition. It is related to the future of man.

Neerain is proud to republish this blog for spreading awareness about situation of water, for our stake holders. Credit whatsoever goes to the Author.

This blog is published by: –

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/hindistory/water/water-conservation/efforts-to-save-water-will-have-to-be-intensified-89000

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Author: Sunita Narain

Publish On: 27 April 2023

Water crisis paralyses normal life in Belagavi city

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BELAGAVI: The prevailing water crisis has affected normal life in Belagavi city with educational institutions planning to switch to online classes, hospitals postponing minor surgeries and industries reducing the number of working hours.

Photo courtesy: pinterest

St Paul’s English Medium School, one of the prestigious educational institutions in north Karnataka, has decided to switch to online mode from Monday due to shortage of water. St Paul’s School falls under the Belagavi Cantonment Board (BCB), where water crisis has reached its peak. The school, with a strength of 2,200 students, on Friday had announced plans for online classes from Saturday and later postponed that to Monday as parents of one of the students have supplied two tanker water. A few more schools will switch to online classes if the city doesn’t get rain in a day or two.

Father Savio Abreu, principal of the school, said that the campus has an open well and a borewell which have completely dried up following which it was decided to go online. “Water supplied by a parent on Friday was used on Saturday and we would switch to online classes from Monday if we fail to get water till Sunday night,” he said.

Father Sebastian Pereira, vice principal of the school, said that it was the prime responsibility of the school to provide safe drinking water to students, apart from toilets and washrooms.

The Rakaskop reservoir, one of the primary sources of water for Belagavi city, has just half-a-feet of mud water. The district administration is supplying water in tankers to the rural areas. Things would turn from bad to worse if the city doesn’t receive rain within a week.

Many private hospitals that buy water have postponed minor surgeries and are attending to only emergency cases.

Photo courtesy: Adobe Stock

As the water sources have gone dry, many government district hospitals are already following the same.

The 1,000-bedded district hospital in Belagavi, which is attached to Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences (BIMS), has planned to buy water from private water sellers. Since the cost was not affordable, the institute, which has a medical college, has planned to send the students of the hostels to their native places so that it can utilise available water for inpatients.

BIMS director Dr Ashok Shetty said that there is no alternative than supplying water to inpatients, mainly those in the maternity wards. Industries in Belagavi have also reduced the number of working shifts due to scarcity of water, which is affecting the economic sector. Belgaum Chamber of Commerce and

Industries former chairman Vikas Kalghatagi said many industries have been closed down and some are reducing the number of working hours.

City Corporation commissioner Rudresh Chali said: “We are responding to serious problems. City Corporation has proposed to disilt and recharge wells to get water.”

Neerain is proud to republish this article for spreading awareness about situation of water, for our stake holders. Credit whatsoever goes to the Author.

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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hubballi/water-crisis-paralyses-normal-life-in-belagavi-city/articleshow/101077533.cms

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Publish On: Jun 18, 2023

Green Building: From the Romantic to the Necessary

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The history of architectural discourse in the last few decades in South Asia, is replete with references to many architects who in their buildings espoused a sustainable or an ecological sensitive approach to their design. These handful of architects have been a source of reference and inspiration for generation of architects and in their own small ways many new generation of practices continue this great traditions. However most such practices are “boutique” in nature and very few have the impact at larger scale and volumes. So the pursuit of the “green” often ends up being a private indulgence of a few thereby resulting in sidelining of the larger issue of sustainable development.

Photo courtesy: Re-thinking the future

The climate crisis is perhaps the single most important moment in history in recent times and it would demand new ways of imagination and practice. The two areas that will need a lot of attention would be architectural education and building bye laws. For example the question of green buildings or sustainable development cannot be now limited to a few courses “environment and ecology” but will need to have an overarching effect on all the courses that are taught. The aim should be to inculcate a “habit” amongst young students of thinking about sustainability. One might begin by asking tough questions such as “Do we really need to built? Or can I not reuse an existing rather than built?” And how does one structure studio courses or even construction courses so that working with less and being sensitive to environment almost becomes second nature to students. There is a lot of possibility to relook at both curriculum and pedagogy in architectural schools.

Photo courtesy: slideshare.net

Whereas we do find many architectural graduate enter the world of practice with idealism in their eyes, but soon they surrender themselves to the demands of the practice that caters to new development. In the absence of effective bye- laws that incentivise green building, it is impossible to have any major impact on the climate and the question of sustainability will remain a lip service. Building material energy ratings, predictive models for estimating energy consumption in proposed buildings would be the first step towards incorporating the same in building blue laws. This would need a major redesign of building bye laws and its implementation. However, one may begin from offering tax waivers to properties that demonstrate sustainable construction practices. A good simple manual for architects and builders can be the first step in this direction. But perhaps a real beginning can and should be made in all the construction undertaken by government departments and local bodies. These can then become role models examples of “green buildings” for the rest of the architects and developer community to emulate.

Neerain is proud to republish this article for spreading awareness about situation of water, for our stakeholders. Credit whatsoever goes to the Author.

This article is published by: –

SOCLEEN MAGAZINE – FEBRUARY 2023

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Author:  Prof. Pratyush Shankar

Publish On: February 2023

 

RO water consumers at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency

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VADODARA: Vegetarians, people with unnatural dark complexion and those who consume purified water through reverse osmosis (RO) systems are more likely to suffer from vitamin B12 deficiency.

 

Photo courtesy: Time Of India

A study conducted at SSG Hospital has found this. The study has revealed that RO water consumption is an emerging risk factor for vitamin B12 deficiency, as cobalt, an essential component of vitamin B12, gets removed through the RO system.

For the study, 160 patients with B12 deficiency and 160 patients with B12 within normal limit were included.
“It was a case control study in which all the patients visiting our hospital with symptoms suggestive of B12 deficiency and serum B12 level below 200 pg/ml were included. At the same time, patients coming to our department and found to be having serum vitamin B12 level above 200 pg/ml were also included in the study as controlled group,” said Dr Sangita V Patel, additional professor at Department of Community Medicine of Baroda Medical College.

Patel had guided the study that was carried out by Dr Alpesh Makwana with the help of physicians Dr Archana Gandhi and Dr Vipul Bhavsar.

The team carried out multivariate analysis to ascertain risk factors affecting Vitamin B12 deficiency using logistic regression model.

“We identified RO water being used for drinking purpose to be a major risk factor affecting Vitamin B12 deficiency. Those having vegetarian diet and unnatural dark complexion or unnatural change in skin color were also at high risk of developing the deficiency,” she said.
Those who used RO water for drinking experienced 3.61 higher odds of vitamin B12 deficiency compared to controls. Similarly, those with dark complexion had 2.53 higher chances of vitamin B12 deficiencies as compared to the controls and those who were vegetarian had 2.007 higher odds of vitamin B12 deficiencies as compared to the controls.

“Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient required for various bodily functions, including the production of red blood cells, DNA synthesis and nerve function,” she said.

The study states that there are three reasons behind adverse health effects of consuming demineralised water.

While the RO system removes cobalt, an essential component of vitamin B12, resulting in B12 deficiency, the reduced absorption of vitamin B12 available in diet due to low mineralized water causes chronic atrophic gastritis.

 

“Additionally, the RO system also removes microorganisms responsible for endogenous production of vitamin B12 directly or indirectly. The longer the duration of RO water consumption, the more likely the possibility of developing vitamin B12 deficiency,” the study states.

 

Doctors said that meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy products are good dietary sources of vitamin B12. “However, vegans who avoid consuming even milk and milk products and vegetarians are at a higher risk of developing the deficiency as plant-based sources of vitamin B12 are limited,” she said.

 

She said that vitamin B12 deficiency can cause unnatural skin darkening and even hyperpigmentation. “The unnatural darkening of the skin or in some cases, hyperpigmentation is caused due to excess melanin production as vitamin B12 deficiency interferes with the melanin production in the body. So, if your skin appears unnaturally dark or dull it indicates that you have be suffering from vitamin deficiency,” she said.

 

“At the same time, pigmentary changes in the form of pigmentation of knuckles, oral mucosa, and Addisonian pigmentation have also been described in Vitamin B12 deficiency,” she added.

 

Neerain is proud to republish this article for spreading awareness about situation of water, for our stakeholders. Credit whatsoever goes to the Author.

 

This article is published by: –

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/vadodara/ro-water-consumers-at-risk-of-vitamin-b12-deficiency/articleshow/99628650.cms?from=mdr

 

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Author: Prashant Rupera

 

Publish On: April 20, 2023.