Activists, college students launch campaign to save tank in Dharwad

Activists, college students launch campaign to save tank in Dharwad
The Hindu

NSS volunteers take out a `jatha' to save 94-year-old Kelageri tank

CONSERVATION CAMPAIGN: Poet Channaveera Kanavi addressing the participants before inaugurating the `jatha' to create awareness about restoration of Kelageri Tank in Dharwad on Sunday.

DHARWAD: Hundreds of students of National Service Scheme (NSS) units from various colleges, water conservation activists and like-minded people on Sunday walked 8 km here as a first step towards creating awareness about saving a 94-year-old tank.

Holding placards and banners with slogans urging people to realise the importance of water conservation and saving the Kelageri Tank, the participants in the "jatha" raised slogans about water conservation techniques.

Poet Channaveera Kanavai flagged off the "jatha" near the

Railway Station. It took two hours for the participants to reach the Kelageri Tank. A public meeting was held at Kelageri.

Awareness drive


Sanjiv Kulkarni of Jala Vichar Balaga, a forum of water conservation enthusiasts, said the "jatha" is for creating awareness about water conservation not only among the general public but also among the activists.

He said the jatha is just a beginning. The tank needs to be claned and sewage has to be diverted. Several steps need to be taken in coordination with the University of Agricultural Science, Dharwad, which has control over the tank, he said.

Somashekharappa, NSS Coordinator, Karnatak University, said that 187 NSS units of various colleges that come under the university have taken up the cause of water conservation. "On the university campus, 84 soak pits and two check dams have been built for conservation of rainwater. The NSS has taken up an initiative regarding rainwater harvesting in association with the municipal

corporation," he said.

Kutyal, former State Liaison Officer for NSS, Himachal Pradesh, offered help to the campaign.

P.K. Pujar, who spoke on behalf of the villagers, said they would support any endeavour to save Kelageri Tank.

Writer Mohan Nagammanavar took part in the programme.

Speaking to press persons after the programme, Prakash Bhat of Jala Vichar Balaga said next step will be to bring senior officials of the Municipal Corporation for a visit to the tank and its command area and make them aware of reasons for bad state of the tank.

BAIF Development Research Foundation, Jala Vichar Balaga, Vignan Mantapa of Karnataka Vidyavardhaka Sangha and NSS wing of Karnatak University have jointly organised the programme in association with the villagers of Kelageri.