World Water Day is observed every year on March 22 since 1993, focuses on the importance of freshwater. It is also observed to spread awareness about water scarcity and other issues. This year's theme for World Water Day is ‘Valuing Water’. It is about what water means to people, it's true value, and how we can better protect this vital resource.
The idea for a World Water Day was put forward in 1992, at the Rio de Janeiro United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution by which March 22 of each year was declared World Day for Water, to be observed starting in 1993.
The main focus of the day is to “support the achievement of sustainable development goal (SDG) 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.”
According to the United Nations, 1 in 3 people lives without safe drinking water. Half of the world's population will be living in water-stressed areas by 2025. It is high-time when every human on this planet should save water and find ways for its conservation.
About 2.2 billion people in the world are living without access to safe water. The day is all about thinking and taking action to tackle the global water crisis.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday will launch the 'Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain' campaign on World Water Day. The campaign will be undertaken across the country, in both rural and urban areas, with the theme "catch the rain, where it falls, when it falls".
ALSO READ | PM Modi to launch 'Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain' campaign today