Gujarat should use water wisely, warn speakers at water meet

"Gujarat is a world within the world as it has all kind of agro-climatic zones within its territory." Addressing a seminar on 'Water management' organized by Rotary Club of Ahmedabad North in the city on Sunday, the chancellor, Nagaland University and Chairman, Sardar Patel Institute, YK Alagh said, the state has made significant achievements on the water management front and Narmada dam and other check-dams have contributed a lot in increasing the availability of water."

Further presenting alarming figures and quoting a well-known expert, he said that per capita availability of water in Gujarat would be just 25% of the minimum requirement by 2020. "So we must learn to use water effectively and for that purpose, we must pay for the use of water," Alagh emphasised.

Highlighting the importance of water recycling Pankaj Sampat said, "Waste water consists only 1% impurities and 99% water. So if this water is recycled, it has large environmental and socio-economic benefits. In all urban areas of the state, this water can be recycled in a easy manner and used for industrial and horticultural purpose." He further said that if water recycling is done in urban areas of Gujarat, the value of water made available for use could be as high as Rs1,800 crore per year.