22nd March is World Water Day. And there can be no better day to realize that Water is our most precious resource. Nature has given so much to us and Water is one such thing. Every drop of water goes through an endless journey through the sky, the soil, and streams, through our lives and then back into nature. When we had an abundance of water around us, we took this valuable resource for granted and wasted it carelessly. Eventually, in many places, our environment is damaged, leaving us with polluted water or no water at all. And if we do not take corrective and preventive steps now, there will be no water left for future. In our country, since last many years, summer brings the emergency situation of water availability in many states. And apathy of people is adding to even worst situations in coming years. I am going to give one such example where people waste a lot of water without realizing that Every drop counts!
These days Delhi is in full mood of spirituality as the week of Chaitra Navratri is going. In every other house, keertans and special offerings are happenings. We as devotees are thanking Goddess Durga for showering her blessing and for giving us everything to lead a happy life. And as a gesture of thanking Goddess, some of the devotees are arranging Bhandara Pandals wherein they provide food to all needy people. The food of any Bhandara Pandal is always considered as a Prashad that no devotee can deny. So a huge crowd of people of all classes goes in those Bhandara Pandals to seek the blessing of Goddess in the form of food prepared in those Bhandara Pandals. Everything seems so divine and sacred until I spot the place where all plastic plates and glasses are dumped. Most of the Bhandara Pandal serve food in 'use and throw' plastic plates and water in plastic glasses. And a sad reality is seen when people waste both water and food in those Pandals.
Some of the Bhandara organizers don't care to put dustbins and let the waste spread over roads. They presume that next day's MCD cleaning will take care of all this plastic waste. And even when Bhandara organizers put dustbins in Pandals, people throw so much of food and water in those dustbins. As a result, very soon dustbins get overflown by waste. People grab a glassful of water and throw it without finishing the whole water of the glass. The little water left in every such glass keeps adding the water waste in the dustbins and after some time, plates literally float in that polluted water. Small bins get overflown within minutes and people started throwing disposable plates and glasses on roads. This is not happening only in Delhi. Many other cities of our country face the problem of littering that is created by Bhandaras.
This public feasting is one such gesture that is there in our culture since long. But little we care about the wastage of water and food. Even if some care about the food and instruct people to throw their leftover food in a separate bin (so that stray animals can eat it), people tend to ignore the most valuable asset of nature, Water. We can live without food for days but without water, it is really difficult to survive. So, all those Bhandara organizers, I would like to introduce the concept of #CuttingPaani. The Livpure #CuttingPaani initiative is all about becoming water wise and introducing the concept of using only the amount of water one requires. To know more what this initiative believes in, watch this video first :
Based on the concept of #CuttingPaani, here are some of the suggestion that I want to give to all Bhandara Organizers :
I have started and signed a petition for #CuttingPaani Save Water campaign. You can also start a petion and encourage other people to sign it. Please visit https://www.change.org/p/cuttingpaani
Every drop counts! Don't waste water today or any other day.
(for images: credit to their owners)
These days Delhi is in full mood of spirituality as the week of Chaitra Navratri is going. In every other house, keertans and special offerings are happenings. We as devotees are thanking Goddess Durga for showering her blessing and for giving us everything to lead a happy life. And as a gesture of thanking Goddess, some of the devotees are arranging Bhandara Pandals wherein they provide food to all needy people. The food of any Bhandara Pandal is always considered as a Prashad that no devotee can deny. So a huge crowd of people of all classes goes in those Bhandara Pandals to seek the blessing of Goddess in the form of food prepared in those Bhandara Pandals. Everything seems so divine and sacred until I spot the place where all plastic plates and glasses are dumped. Most of the Bhandara Pandal serve food in 'use and throw' plastic plates and water in plastic glasses. And a sad reality is seen when people waste both water and food in those Pandals.
Some of the Bhandara organizers don't care to put dustbins and let the waste spread over roads. They presume that next day's MCD cleaning will take care of all this plastic waste. And even when Bhandara organizers put dustbins in Pandals, people throw so much of food and water in those dustbins. As a result, very soon dustbins get overflown by waste. People grab a glassful of water and throw it without finishing the whole water of the glass. The little water left in every such glass keeps adding the water waste in the dustbins and after some time, plates literally float in that polluted water. Small bins get overflown within minutes and people started throwing disposable plates and glasses on roads. This is not happening only in Delhi. Many other cities of our country face the problem of littering that is created by Bhandaras.
This public feasting is one such gesture that is there in our culture since long. But little we care about the wastage of water and food. Even if some care about the food and instruct people to throw their leftover food in a separate bin (so that stray animals can eat it), people tend to ignore the most valuable asset of nature, Water. We can live without food for days but without water, it is really difficult to survive. So, all those Bhandara organizers, I would like to introduce the concept of #CuttingPaani. The Livpure #CuttingPaani initiative is all about becoming water wise and introducing the concept of using only the amount of water one requires. To know more what this initiative believes in, watch this video first :
Based on the concept of #CuttingPaani, here are some of the suggestion that I want to give to all Bhandara Organizers :
- Keep water stalls little distant from food stalls. People would then really realize the thirst before they grab a glass of water. If we see water available just next to us, we without giving a thought to our thirst need, grab it and don't finish it.
- Fill glass only till half which means provide only #CuttingPaani in the Pandals. Quite often people leave the Bhandara Pandals leaving behind half-empty glasses of water. This water is eventually dumped either in the trash bins or on the roads. Giving #CuttingPaani means only the amount of water one can comfortably drink without wasting it.
- Ask people to collect the leftover water from of glasses in a separate bin. I know people would be reluctant in doing so and would ignore this request. But with having a few members of organizing staff to assist around the trash bins, you can implement this. This collected water can be further reused in multiple ways like in cleaning utensils used for preparing the feast, washing the halls, and in watering plants.
- Have boards and banners of Saving Water and Food all over in Pandals. Sometimes a quick reminder of the obvious things is needed. And it makes people follow something as simple as not wasting the water.
- Place bigger trash bins and deployed extra sanitary workers. When you can organize such big public feasting, you should also think about nature and conservation of water. With Being water wise, you would not only help our planet and its people but also help in national development. Pure Water availability is the prime challenge faced by modern nation-states today.
I have started and signed a petition for #CuttingPaani Save Water campaign. You can also start a petion and encourage other people to sign it. Please visit https://www.change.org/p/cuttingpaani
Every drop counts! Don't waste water today or any other day.
(for images: credit to their owners)
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