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EDITORIAL |
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| Year : 2008 | Volume
: 26
| Issue : 4 | Page : 140 |
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Starved society?
SG Damle
Editor in Chief, JISPPD, and Vice Chancellor, Maharishi Markandeshwar University, Mullana (Ambala) 133203, Haryana., India
Correspondence Address:
S G Damle
Editor in Chief, JISPPD, and Vice Chancellor, Maharishi Markandeshwar University, Mullana (Ambala) 133203, Haryana.
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0970-4388.44027
How to cite this article:
Damle S G. Starved society?. J Indian Soc Pedod Prev Dent 2008;26:140 |
Water is one of the commonest things in the world and the most valuable God's endowments. There is nothing more useful and cheaper tending to survival and subsistence of the life on the earth since times immemorial.
Water being the solvent of life pervades our lives and is deeply embedded in our cultural background. Two-thirds of the earth's surface is covered by water and a major portion (75%) of the human body is water. Water circulates through land just as it does through the human body, transporting, dissolving, and replenishing nutrients and organic matter, while carrying waste materials. Further, in the body it regulates the activities of fluid, tissues, cells, lymph, blood, and glandular secretions.
Water has been used since antiquity as a symbol by which to express devotion and purity. Some cultures like the ancient Greek went as far as to worship gods who were thought to live in and command the waters. The place of gathering was around the wells, which is perhaps the following trend in building fountains in the middle of piazzas. Contrary to the past, our recent developed technological society has become indifferent to this solvent of life. Our natural heritage has been exploited, mistreated, and contaminated.
The population decline of the marine and riparian life, the appearance of green algae in the rivers, and the stench and slime that comes as a result of putrefaction in the water are clear signs of depth and extent of disruption that has been caused to this intricate ecosystem.
Our body primarily being water requires sufficient daily water replacement in order to function efficiently. Water treatments that are aimed to render our drinking water potable have been proved ineffective and the presence of coliforms and certain microorganisms like Giardia and Cryptosporidium is just one of the many examples. Viewing the effect of individual chemicals, organic minerals, and their byproducts, we can see the link into today's major diseases. In a country like ours where more than 78% of the people live in rural areas there is no access to potable water. Making available safe, pure, clean, and fluoridated drinking water to Indians seems distant dream, unless herculean efforts are made.[Figure 1]
[Figure 1]
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