Coimbatore: Former president A P J Abdul
Kalam Saturday cautioned that there was a possibility that
neighbouring countries could "create problem" for India to
meet the demand for water for their increasing population.
The population in India`s neighbouring countries of
China, Myanmar, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan is
expanding and accordingly the demand for water was also
increasing, he said.
"All these countries are strong with weapons, and there
is the possibility that they can create problem to India for
their water needs," Kalam cautioned.
Endorsing an opinion that the Third World War would be
fought for water, Kalam, after inaugurating a Water Harvesting
Expo, said not only India but also the entire world was facing
water shortage.
This was more acute in Asian and African countries, he
said.
Lauding the water conservation and water harvesting
programme in Tamil Nadu, Kalam asked the state government to
identify water resources by mapping in collaboration with ISRO
and create water canals, so that there was no water scarcity
in future.
Kalam said he has a dream that all the rivers in Tamil
Nadu -- Cauvery, Vaigai, Palar, Thamirabharani -- should be
linked and subsequently with all the canals, ponds and lakes,
so that the state becomes water surplus by 2020.
Other states like Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and
Karnataka have taken the initiative for linking rivers, he
said.
The expo is organised by Siruthuli, an initiative to
recharge the groundwater level in and around Coimbatore
district and also revive the Noyyal River, once the lifeline
of the region.
PTI
