Jalapayana held to create awareness on World Water Day

Mangaluru: Students of Swaroopa Adhyayana Kendra along with green brigades of the National Environment Care Federation (NECF) took out a two hour boat rally ‘Jalapayana’ from Sulthan Bathery to Maravoor on the Phalguri river on Friday.

The rally was held to mark the World Water day and to highlight the plight of Nethravati and Phalguni rivers in the district.

The Jalanapayana started around 11.30 a.m. The NECF members hired two fishing boats for the purpose. The NECF students and members, including environment activists Dinesh Holla and Shashidhar Shetty, wore “Green Army” t-shirts for the event.

Holla said people and the government are equally responsible for polluting the rivers. “Though fish is an unavoidable part of the menu in the coastal district, people are still not serious about keeping rivers clean. If the situation continues like this, we will not be able to celebrate World Water Day in the future,” he warned.

Shetty accused officials of failure in regularly testing the water and prevent pollution.