Nature and Adventure Study Group

Sons of the soil

With a view to help Cooch Behar tide over its water woes, the Nature and Adventure Study Group has picked up the gauntlet, writes Swaati Chaudhury

THE Nature and Adventure Study Group is a voluntary outfit in Cooch Behar that aims at fostering nature-minded citizens all over North Bengal. It is currently engaged in a dozen or more environmental projects, none of which run on government assistance. With a view to tide over Cooch Behar's water woes, the organisation has launched a one-year programme themed "Water crisis" and has roped in school students between six to 16-year-olds. 
Around 8,000 students from Cooch Behar and the Dooars region have spontaneously participated in the project. Cooch Behar is heading towards acute water shortage and the scenario has worsened in the past couple of decades or so. Arup Guha, secretary of the Group, says, "The ground water level in Cooch Behar has come down considerably and some parts of the Buxa Tiger Reserve that lie at Jayanti Range are reeling under acute water crisis. Rivers like the Oslung and Katlung usually run dry in the summer months causing acute drinking and bathing water shortage for the faunal residents. The tusker populace bathes for about 12 hours daily for which they require a huge amount of water everyday. Acute water shortage often compels elephants to leave their natural habitat in search of congenial dwellings. If this goes on for, say, another five years or so, it can prove disastrous for both humans and animals." The NASG's project has brought relief to more than half the local population. 
Established in 1980, the group also conducts campaigns to raise awareness on water-borne diseases. Given the presence of 0.2 mg of aluminum in the water available chances of contracting Alzemeheir's is acute. 
"Children are prone to stomach disorders because of the presence of an alarming 0.02 mg of nickel in the water we use. They are susceptible to intestinal problems with traces of copper in drinking water," says Guha. 
The Central government has declared places like Cooch Behar, Toofangunj and Dhubri in Assam as high-risk seismic zones. The group has also launched a campaign to raise awareness on the causes of earthquakes by displaying CDs and is also in the process of roping in volunteers to build a rescue operation team to help citizens in need. These efforts, says Guha, go a long way, to raise their confidence. 
"We want to reach out to the entire student community to lend a helping hand in our environment-related activities. We also need local clubs, the gram panchayat and the local administrators to help us steer our project forward," adds Guha.
The group has activists from far-flung destinations like Jamshedpur and Guwahati. It has also taken a cue from Gujarat and is currently promoting a rainwater harvesting model in Cooch Behar. 
"We have already approached both local residents and the upcoming hotels to adopt rain water harvesting on rooftops that would, we believe, considerably reduce the pressure on ground water," rounds off Guha. - THE STATESMAN (NB EXTRA)