PUNE: Holi is a festival of colours and people use a huge amount of water along with colours to celebrate it. However, in the wake of decreasing groundwater table, taps in urban and rural areas are running dry for the last four decades. But now societies in Pune have decided to play dry Holi with natural colours.
Sudhir Deshmukh, a founder member of Pimpri-Chinchwad Co-operative Housing Societies, said, “The societies in fringe areas of the city are facing continuous water problems and they have to spend loads of money for water tankers. Therefore, 47 societies under our association in Wakad and Pimple Saudagar areas have decided to play water free Holi by using natural colours.”
Sanjeevkumar Patil, Director of Wagholi Housing Society Association, said, “Housing societies in Wagholi are facing water woes from last several years and hence, we have been celebrating dry Holi from last few years.”
Col Shashikant Dalvi (Retd), District Manager, Pune, for The Climate Reality Project, India, said, “Water shortage is being faced by most of the cities and rural areas of the country. From January 2019, Marathwada is being supplied water with the help of 2,000 water tankers. Groundwater table in that area is down to 500 feet.”
“The same scenario can be seen in city areas, especially in fringe areas of the city, as they are not getting adequate water supply and have to depend on water tankers. Now, with the revival of El-Nino phenomenon, it is predicted that monsoon 2019 may have deficit rainfall for India. Therefore, it is better to not play Holi with water and instead save it,” he added.
‘HOLIKA DAHAN’ IN A UNIQUE WAY
People are not only concerned about water but also the burning of Holika will take place by burning invasive alien species. NGOs including Biospheres and Rotary Prabhat along with Botanical Survey of India, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Maharashtra Forest Department and Pune Municipal Corporation will organise bonfires of weeds and other obnoxious plants, including water hyacinth and cosmos.
Sachin Punekar, Director of Biospheres, said, “The growing hyacinth and weed in the rivers are mainly of exotic nature. Many of them, including parthenium, have originated from North America and China, which are a threat to the native vegetation. Maharashtra along with 10 other states of the country, will burn Holika by burning the weed.”
A Puneite said, “The weed bonfire will be held at the Savarkar Smarak at Karve Road and it will be largely symbolic in nature.”
Vaishali Patkar, President of Aundh Vikas Mandal, said, “We will also hold a similar bonfire or burning of Holika by burning weed and other hyacinths.”
DONATING PURANPOLI
Prajakta Rudravar, Coordinator of Robin Hood Army Pimpri-Chinchwad, said, “We keep a puranpoli donation box near Holika Dahan and collect it and distribute to the needy. Last year, we collected 12,000 puranpolis from more than 50 societies in Pimpri-Chinchwad and this year, we have already reached 35 societies in Pimpri-Chinchwad area.” Similarly, the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti is appealing to people not to burn Holika beyond one foot and not to put puranpoli into the fire and instead give it to the representatives of the samiti and they will give them to the needy.
