TIRUCHY: Groundwater in the riverbeds across the state is not safe for drinking, and an awareness conference to advocate the importance of rainwater harvesting is scheduled in Tiruchy on March 22, said Tamil Maran, Coordinator of the Cauvery Calling Movement, mooted by Sadhguru’s Isha Foundation.

Speaking to reporters in Tiruchy, Tamil Maran said rainwater harvesting is inevitable at present to solve the water contamination. “The groundwater in most of the river beds across the state is not safe for drinking as the Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) level in the river beds ranged between 750 and 800, against the normal condition of 300 and drinking such water would lead to a series of diseases,” Tamil Maran said.

He also pointed out that the World Health Organisation (WHO) has certified and advocated for rainwater to be pure for drinking purposes, and so it is necessary to harvest rainwater. The Cauvery Calling Movement has scheduled a conference on rainwater harvesting on Sunday (March 22) at a private college in Tiruchy.

The conference would discuss the importance of rainwater harvesting. Experts from the field would discuss in detail the methods to be adopted for rainwater harvesting and equipment for the rainwater harvesting would also be displayed and sold in the conference venue, said Tamil Maran.