Thousands take part in 'Madurai Marathon' to conserve water

Madurai, Jan 13 (UNI) Bubbling with enthusiasm, people, mostly students and the youth, joined the 'Madurai Marathon' organised here today to create an awareness to conserve the natural water resources of this ancient city.

Around 35000 people, including the differently abled, took part in the event, which included a run and a march, besides skating by children for over eight km in the city.

Of the total participants, students alone accounted for 15000, according to Dhan Foundation, engaged in water conservation efforts through participation of the local communities, which coordinated the event, first of its kind in the temple city.

Significantly, a very large number of the participants were from the working class and the middle class.

The NGO had proposed to establish a Centre for Renovation of Waterbodies and start Model Centres with the fund, collected as registration fee from participants of the Marathon. It has also been planned to take up maintenance and preservation of waterbodies, channels and set up a corpus separately for promoting water conservation initiatives.

Kalanjiyam, a Confederation of Women SHGs and Vaayalagam, the farmers, both with the initiatives of Dhan, had contributed Rs 50000 each for water conservation efforts. Five of the Kalanjiyams in the city have come forward to adopt two water bodies each and renovate them.

The Government, as well as, civil society organisations and business enterprises have extended their support in organising the event.

As a prelude to this event, Dhan had earlier brought out a booklet, detailing the water resources of the city, since the ancient time to the contemporary period.

UNI