Even leftover water can save lives
Water left over by passengers being used to quench animals’ thirst and water plants, say Rly officials
Dear Readers,
Not only Uttar Pradesh but almost the entire nation is facing droughtlike conditions. In such circumstances conservation of water is not an option but a necessity.
If you come across any initiative by people to save water, or anyone wasting water, send a brief report with pictures to
The next time you board Shatabdi Express, please think of judicious use of mineral water provided by the Railways.
Around 300 to 600 litres of potable water was wasted daily during the journey from Delhi to Lucknow, as passengers left behind half-empty bottles in the coaches.
While inspecting Shatabdi Express recently, additional station superintendent SK Sharma, senior station manager HL Hembram, station master Arvind Baghel, deputy station superintendent NK Singh – all staff of Charbagh railway station (NR), were surprised to see hundreds of half-filled water bottles left behind by passengers.
Till now, the water in these bottles used to be thrown into the drain every day. “It was criminal wastage of water,” said Arvind Baghel, station master.
Nearly 2,000 water bottles are distributed free in the train from Delhi to Lucknow. “Around 300600 litres of water was thrown into the drain because many passengers left the half-filled bottles behind,” he said.
But now these officials have taken measures to stop the wastage. For the last 3-4 days, the water left by passengers is being stored in a container so that it could be used for animals and watering plants.
On the first day, around 300 bottles were collected and two containers were filled. And the water was used for watering plants and for animals.
Additional station superintendent SK Sharma said, “We feel very satisfied after saving so much of water. We start the work by involving passengers in the drive. We tell them to pour the leftover water into the container so that it can be used for animals or watering plants.”
The passengers have also started understanding the importance of saving water now.
As per Railways norms, the bottles are crushed so that they cannot be used again. “We send all these plastic bottles for recycling to save the surroundings from the hazards of plastic pollution,” said Arvind Baghel.
“Once the move is successful in Shatabdi, we are going to replicate it in other trains where more water bottles are recovered,” he added.
We are involving passengers in the drive. We tell them to pour the leftover water into the container so that it can be used for animals and watering plants SK Sharma, additional station superintendent