Chennai: With water crisis plaguing the city, residents are worried about groundwater sources and reservoirs drying up. It has become a common sight to see residents waiting with buckets and pots in long queues near a water tanker.
Worried by this issue, V P Amarnath, a social activist based in Valasaravakkam, has decided to take matters into his own hands.
Along with his team, Amarnath, through ‘iSquare’, creates awareness on rainwater harvesting (RWH) among the residents.
He told News Today, “I was deeply affected by the 2015 floods that ravaged Chennai.” He was one of the many volunteers who worked to bring normalcy to the city.
“At the time, I met Sekhar Raghavan from Rain Centre. He is an expert in RWH. Under his guidance, I learned more and it paved the way for me to start iSquare Rain Water Harvesting,” Amarnath says.
“The main goal of iSquare is to make people aware about conserving rain water. It is very important as it recharges groundwater,” he says.
Speaking about its benefits, Amarnath says, “It not just increases our groundwater level but also prevents a home from losing its water source.” He warned that people take it seriously only when there is a problem. “It is an investment and not an expenditure,” he adds.
Offering solution to the city’s current water crisis, Amarnath says that the government should make it mandatory for houses to have RWH facility. “Streets should also have porous drains and collect the rainwater,” he reiterates.
Amarnath can be reached at 80562 00088.