TIRUCHY: “Since we failed to understand the greatness and importance of water, we’ve been struggling for water and it is seen in the rivers, wells, pipelines and cans now. In the future, we might witness water in the form of pills,” cautioned Supreme Court Justice MM Sundresh in Thanjavur on Saturday.
Felicitating the KAIFA (Kadaimadai Area Integrated Farmers Association), an environmental farmers’ association that desilted 200 waterbodies across the Delta region, the judge said that the ancient Tamils were aware of the greatness and importance of water, and had protected the waterbodies and even revered them.
“We’ve been witnessing water in the rivers, wells, and pipelines and cans. In the near future, we’ll see it in the form of pills,” he added. “Residents in Delhi have been fighting among themselves for potable drinking water. We haven’t learned anything even after observing them. We’ve destroyed waterbodies and constructed huge buildings. So, conserving the environment has become tough for all of us.”
Stating that the desilting of a tank was more divine than establishing hospitals, schools and temples, the judge appealed to the public to handle water management properly for the good of future generations.
The Madras High Court Justice B Pugalendi said that KAIFA’s desilting works have raised the ground water level in the regions remarkably. “KAIFA has spent the money that’s usually used for the annual temple festival because they know that desilt works are more important than temple festivals. That’s why they could achieve the desilting of 200 waterbodies. Now they should target 2,000 here after,” he said.
Sivakumar, regional director of Jal Sakthi, advocate Veera Kathiravan and KAIFA members participated in the event.