Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Calling for conscious consumer choices to reduce burden on water resources, environmentalist Dr OP Joshi said that around 4,000 litres of water is required to manufacture a single pair of jeans.
"India uses 2,500 litres of water to produce 1 kg of rice, 300 litres for maize and 2,500 litres for sugar," he said advocating for the cultivation of less water-intensive crops in drought-prone regions and a shift toward millet-based diets to reduce water consumption. Joshi and water expert Tapas Saraswati were among the experts who addressed the audience at a seminar organised by Jal and Talab Sanrakshan Samiti at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, DAVV, on the eve of World Water Day.
Saraswati said that only 1 per cent water is available on the earth for human use and added that sincere efforts are required to conserve that. "We need to take immediate action to save this limited resource through rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharging and wastewater recycling," he said. He pointed out the inefficiency in daily water usage, stating, "A small leak can waste up to 1 lakh litres of water annually. Simple habits, like using smaller buckets and mugs, can contribute significantly to conservation."
Samiti secretary Megha Barve said, "If we do not act now, a time will come when even drinking water will be scarce." She stressed that saving water should be a continuous effort rather than a one-day awareness campaign.The experts urged for collective action to combat the growing water crisis.
