‘Jal Puran’ Discourse at Sadaneera Samagam: Experts Link Water Conservation to Indian Knowledge Traditions

‘Jal Puran’ Discourse at Sadaneera Samagam: Experts Link Water Conservation to Indian Knowledge Tradions. On the third day of Sadaneera Samagam at Bharat Bhavan, organised by Veer Bharat Nyas under the MP Culture Department, a key discourse on ‘Jal Puran’ brought together environmentalists, cultural thinkers, and academics to deliberate on water conservation and Indian knowledge traditions.

Inaugural Remarks:
Shriram Tiwari, Trustee Secretary, Veer Bharat Nyas, said water conservation is not just an environmental issue but a matter of social and cultural consciousness. He stressed developing societal sensitivity towards water as the need of the hour.

Key Speakers & Views:

1. Dr Rajesh Sharma, President, Arogya Bharati

• Warned of falling groundwater levels and called it a “grave alert”.
• Flagged blind development, e-waste, pesticide dumping by developed nations, and lithium overuse in EVs as new ecological threats.
• Cited Sankhya Yoga: Water is the core life-giving energy. Collective consciousness needed for its protection.

1. Dr Vinod Tare, Environmentalist

• Said Indian scriptures gave water divine status. Had society internalised this, today’s crisis wouldn’t exist.
• Called water “inclusive by nature” – it absorbs and cleans earth’s filth, leading to human overexploitation.
• Urged reviving traditional water sources and making rainwater harvesting a lifestyle, not just ritual.

1. Dr Mukesh Mishra, Director, Dattopant Thengadi Research Institute

• Said no Indian text omits water’s importance. In Panchmahabhuta, water is life-giving.
• Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas all stress balanced use. Rivers and lakes are cultural-spiritual centres, not just resources.
• “Indian Puranas are full of water consciousness. We must live it.”

1. Dr Preeti Saluja, Chancellor, SAIEM Global University

• Cited Chhatarpur where women walk 3-4 km for water. Called for urgent sensitivity to prevent future crises.
• Praised Veer Bharat Nyas for public-awareness efforts. Urged following ancestral paths of conservation.

1. Prem Shankar Shukla, CAO, Bharat Bhavan

• Blamed “uncontrolled urbanisation” for water crisis. Said rethinking urban models can solve many issues.
• Recited poems ‘Aag’ and ‘Paani’ reflecting on nature-human balance.

Scholars, researchers, students, and citizens from society, culture, environment, and education sectors participated.