Mumbai, Maharashtra, India:  

• VIBGYOR Group of Schools announce ‘Go Blue’ Campaign – an initiative to face the challenges posed by water crisis through effective and measurable solutions
• Students of VIBGYOR Group of Schools plan a year-long activity to talk about being responsible and altruistic and save the very important natural resource - Water

On the occasion of the 25^th International World Water Day, VIBGYOR Group of Schools announced ‘Go Blue’, an annual campaign that will focus and advocate the sustainable management of water. The students of VIBGYOR Group of Schools through this campaign make a collective effort to find innovative yet simple methods to conserve water and keep it clean.

1.8 billion people use a source of drinking water contaminated with faeces, putting them at risk of contracting cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio. Unsafe water, poor sanitation and hygiene cause around 842,000 deaths each year. Source (WHO/UNICEF 2014/WHO 2014)

With each passing year we are facing looming warnings with calamities such as droughts, floods or water pollution. Climatic and environmental changes and resource scarcity are the biggest threats that the world is facing today.

Globally, Cape Town faced a three-year drought and recently the government officials announced “Day Zero” expected in the month of  July 2018 when at least a million homes in the city will no longer have any running water. Back home, Karnataka with polluted lakes, improper sewage system and poor management of water supply is soon heading towards a huge water crisis. As per reports, for the fourth consecutive season, as less than 20% water is left in 9 of Karnataka's 12 dams. The government officials thereby declared 160 of 176 talukas as drought-hit.

To address these issues and to make necessary amends, VIBGYOR Group of Schools through their year-long ‘Go Blue’ campaign will share the various methods to save and conserve water. The School and the students have planned multiple activities traversing across the country beginning March 22, 2018. The activities planned under this campaign are interactive and empowering in many ways. There will be workshops on water conservation, summits and forums to discuss the concerns and plausible solutions, Rain-water harvesting installations in the schools, Ways to recycle and reuse water, Water body clean-up initiatives, street plays and skits, Marathons and a whole lot of other activities to highlight the importance of water and the ways to conserve it.

Expressing his views on the campaign Ashish Tibdewal, CEO and CFO, VIBGYOR Group of Schools said, “We are at a brink of a very severe crisis and we need to act upon this challenge immediately. We wanted the students to understand the severity of the situation as they are the future and if they fail to conserve the resources, their future is at stake. The objective behind ‘Go Blue’ campaign is to sensitise students to nature and create awareness among them and make them responsible towards their surroundings. We have planned a host of activities throughout the year wherein the students will participate and spread the message of conserving water and also sharing solutions towards saving water.”

He also added, “We also urge the parents to participate and encourage the young and impressionable youth to inculcate the responsibility of saving water at homes.”