A report on World Water Day 2011 celebrated by UDYAMA in Alanda,Orissa

For the first time it was organized in Alanda G.P of Bongmunda Block of Titlagada which is one of the most water shortage and drought prone areas, high temperature prone and affected by climatic chaos in Bolangir district. It was a small congregation around 45participants from cross sectors of local youth, women local PRIs (Sarpanch, Ward members, SHG leaders, school teachers, anganwadi workers) and health sector too.

Program started at 8.30am at the Alanda gram panchayat head quarter and concluded at 3pm with following activity. The content of celebration at a village was very much clear looking at the vagaries of water related issues at the country side pertaining to use and access to clean water, restore house hold hygiene and sanitation,

• Village rally
• Village cleaning
• Demo and Cleaning of hand pump areas
• Discussion on restore, reuse, recharge and recycle the house hold water
• Demo on personal hygiene prevent diarrhea and water borne diseases
• Accelerate individual house hold latrine and make the Gram panchayat ODF
• Meeting with community and PRIs on mainstreaming on water , sanitation and plantation linking to livelihood resilience

The Rally came to an end at the gate of Panchayat office and local Sarapanch chaired and addressed the gathering. The Sarpanch expressed his concern over water and sanitation issues and suggested community women how to keep the water safe by using the utensil with a narrow handle (danki) and he also focused on the use of latrine is necessary in present day society to make the environment clean.

Health worker from the Anganwadi said on the water problem in the area and use of clean water in order to prevent diarrhea and water borne diseases. She also stressed on the use of sufficient preventive of sunstroke now days, use mosquitoes net, maintain personal hygiene and use of latrine. There was a demonstration that how to bring water from the pot, use and how will be safe for consumption.

World Water Day-2011 Celebration:- In Rural Village at Alanda

Adding to this local sarpanch also said that if the water is used safely with all precautions then the community will be protected from diarrhea and other water borne diseases. But restoration, recharge and reuse of water is very much necessary through various means as our area is very much water stress area and our panchayat is very much keen to undertake more community water and sanitation related works. He emphasized on community participation.

Then Mr.S.S.Panigrahi and Mr Pankaj Panigrahi facilitated this WWD-2011 on behalf of UDYAMA, Mr.S.S.Panigrahi expressed sincere gratitude to all the participants including the Sarpanch & Anganwadi worker. Teachers and community women groups.

This is the assemble of elite groups of Kalingavihar, Bhubaneswar the state capital of Odisha to commemorate the World Water Day 2011. The Meeting started at 3pm and ended at 6.30pm. Eminent persons from retired persons, government, intellectuals, academia, researchers, students, civil citizen, persons from corporate and business setting participated.

Addressing to August gathering Prof. Radhamohan, an eminent environmentalist said this is very much unfortunate that people are dieing at diarrhea and water borne diseases. Human vale has become very much negligible, no where these deaths have accounted for.
Mr. Pradeep Patjoshi, ex - consultant UNCEF, explained conservation of water and best sanitation is all about only attitude and behavior of our how to use and abuse it.
Mr. Niranjan Tripathi, ex-banker he stressed that plastic and waste disposal is another havoc in urban setting, hence this has to be safe disposed off in order to make our environment clean.

Tree, water and environment have a very much organic link. Due expansion of urban infrastructure, the luss green has vanished followed by for deep bore wells are in place causing acute water shortage hence more recharge,  recycle and reuse of waste water with safe disposal is highly necessary. Although it was very much small gathering the emotional feeling of each was very much thrilling. Looking at this present juncture of acute shortage of water, pollution, waste disposal, accessing safe clean water at urban setting will be very much scarce. With advance of global climate change availing clean and safe water would be so problematic that can not be thinkable. This small gathering has ventilated the key messages and highlighted issues of water and sanitation and issues related to climate change and survival of well being. The meeting was ended expressing sincere thanks all contributors and delegates.