MUMBAI: “According to national healthcare survey 2013, less than one-third of households in India drink purified water which is disturbing given the progress India has made otherwise since Independence,” said cricketer Sachin Tendulkar while launching ‘ShuddhPaani, Swastha Bharat’, a Livpure Foundation initiative.
The cricketer has joined hands with Livpure Foundation, which works as a catalyst in policy advocacy, technological innovations and mobilisation of health providers and communities on clean drinking water and launched CSR campaign ‘Shuddh Paani, Swastha Bharat’.
“Since worldwide infectious diseases such as waterborne diseases are the number one killer of children under five years of age, I feel proud to be associated with this initiative to safeguard children’s health to the best of my abilities for the wellbeing of every child in order to reduce/ eradicate child mortality in India,” added the cricketer.
Livpure Foundation also helps develop partnerships that pool competencies and resources, particularly in its role as advocate, facilitator and coordinator, helping stem the spread of water-borne diseases.
SAR Group founder Rakesh Malhotra said, “Access to safe drinking water on sustainable basis constitutes a fundamental and inalienable human right for everyone in India. Livpure Foundation has been established to bring into focus this critical problem facing a large population globally and especially India since as per WHO more people die from unsafe water than from all forms of violence including war.”
According to WHO, an estimated 5,02,000 Indians are affected by waterborne diseases annually. 3,61,000 children under the age of five die each year from diarrhea. Clean drinking water is the only solution to this epidemic problem.
“There is an immediate need for more such movements/ initiatives/ campaigns because of consequential water contamination in the country. Inadequate drinking water is an important risk factor, particularly in low-income settings. ‘ShuddhPaani, Swastha Bharat’ will restore the cleanliness of the water bodies and will help in maintaining the ecological balance of the environment and we can look forward to a clean and green country,” Tendulkar further added.
The Livpure Foundation endeavours for a pan India presence with thrust in urban slums and the selected states which confront acute water crisis or water pollution. The focused states are; Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana.
