'Water man of India' Rajendra Singh holds walk in Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 11: In order to raise awareness about the need to conserve water, Rajendra Singh also known as the 'Waterman of India' led a 'Global Water Walk for Peace' here on Sunday.

The march, a part of the ongoing CMS Vatavaran Film Festival began in the morning from the Rajiv Chowk Metro Station culminating at the NDMC Convention centre, where the festival is being held.

"We are organising this march to make people, especially the youth who assemble here in the morning, the need to conserve water in a place like Delhi where water scarcity is prevalent," Singh said.

The walk is the second leg of his proposal to walk across five continents over five years to raise awareness for his campaign to have the human rights to river water and access to nature recognised by the UN.

The first walk was held in Stockholm earlier this year. The 56-year-old water conservationist and recipient of this year's Stockholm water Prize considered as the Nobel Prize or Water also dwelt on the importance of constructing green buildings, which can help to minimise pollution level in the urban cities.

At the inauguration of the festival, which began on October 9, Singh had said that "2.25 lakh wells had so far been revived by people and water rights has to be attained before human rights."

The march which was participated by volunteers of the film festival and other environmental enthusiasts wore a positive look from the people around.

"I feel this as a good initiative by the organisers, it can make atleast some people aware of the burning issue," said Abhishek, a student who attended the event.

Speaking on the need of more campaigns in future on water conservation and other environment issues, he said that youth should be a part of such campaigns. "I can see more campaigns coming forward in this gesture(conservation) and it has to spread whole over the country," he said.

Singh has been acknowledged for his work using cheap and simple ways to further techniques of ancient Indians to harvest rain water.

The march was also attended by Ashok Lavasa Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change and Hem Kumar Pande, Special Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change.

PTI