VISAKHAPATNAM:The NSS volunteers of GITAM University and Engineers without Boarders (EWB)-GITAM Student Chapter jointly organised a water conservation rally on the Beach Road here Tuesday.
GITAM University registrar M Potharaju flagged off the rally at RK Beach and emphasised the need to conserve water in the city, particularly through bore-wells. Overexploitation of groundwater may lead to water crisis, while dumping of building debris material and other waste into reservoirs would lead to water contamination, affecting the health of poor, he pointed out.
The civil engineering department of GITAM University will soon launch a project to test the water quality in north coastal districts with the help of Department of Science and Technology-sanctioned research project. The varsity was also establishing a water analysis lab in the campus, which was going to be the first water testing lab in the state, he added.
Later, the participants took a pledge to conserve water bodies and save water every day. Institute of Technology principal K Lakshmiprasad, GITAM Research and Development wing director S Ramakrishna Rao, EWB-India advisor Prakasam, senior environmental engineer K Sri Ram Murthy, RWS superintendent engineer Raju, GITAM Student Affairs director K Veerabhadram and EWB advisor Kantamareddy were present.