Water is Power: Conserve and use it sparingly

Sri Lanka marked World Water Day yesterday with an appeal by the Water Supply and Drainage Ministry to the Sri Lankan populace to conserve water and use water sparingly as the country is threatened with depleting water resources.

The theme of this year’s World Water Day’ is ‘Water is Power’.

Water Supply and Drainage Minister Dinesh Gunawardana said Sri Lanka was blessed with splendid gifts of nature, considered the wonder of Asia was now on a progressive journey towards self sufficiency and economic and social develop- ment. “As with any other nation on earth, the negative impacts of the physical development and global climate changes have triggered an urgent need for a serious review of the development activities and the need for effective steps to safeguard nature and its precious resources like water for the well-being of the citizens and all living beings in this country,” Minister Gunawardana stressed.

With the climate change, uncontrolled exploitation of natural resources and deforestation had depleted clean water resources drastically in the last century and therefore there will be a day in the near future when the water becomes the most precious commodity in the world, Minister Gunawardana stressed..

It is possible that wars among nations could be ignited to rule on water resources and the power of nations will be decided on the amount of clean water a nation has access to, he pointed out..

The Water Supply and Drainage Ministry had organized a walk to the BMICH from the Ayurweda Roundabout at Borella to mark World Water Day in addition to the international conference at the BMICH on Saturday.