The chemical company BASF, in association with UN-HABITAT, has launched a project to promote water education in Mangalore.
Launching the project in Mangalore on Tuesday, Mr Prasad Chandran, Chairman and Managing Director of BASF India Ltd, said that the project aims to promote water education in schools and improve water quality monitoring in Mangalore.
Under the water education project, 25 schools in the vicinity of Mangalore will be selected for providing safe drinking water.
Quality monitoring
Of these schools, eight schools will be equipped with water laboratories to facilitate water quality monitoring. He said that two schools will have water classrooms where students will be educated about water cycle and water conservation methods. Trained teachers will train students throughout the project duration.
In addition to this, water quality testing kits will be provided to select schools for field analysis. These kits will help communities living around the schools.
He said that the water quality map of Mangalore will be displaced at strategic locations in the city. Water test results can be communicated to relevant authorities for follow-up action, if necessary.
Mr Chandran said that The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) will implement the project over the next two years.
He said that the global water scenario is getting graver, and everyone should be conscious in its use. Stating that 50 per cent of water demand in future will be from developing countries, he said the usage rate will be double the rate of population.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr K.N. Vijayaprakash, Commissioner of Mangalore City Corporation, said that Mangalore is getting around 160 MLD (million litres per day) of water. In spite of this, there is shortage of water in some areas. He attributed this to the lack of awareness among people and for lack of judicious use of water.
The Mangalore City Corporation will find a way to the scientific management of water in the city, he said.
Mr Andre Dzikus, Chief (Water and Sanitation Section II), UN-HABITAT, said that there is a need to bring about behavioural change among young students regarding the use of water. The water education initiative will help them learn the importance of clean drinking water, he added.