We often hear discussions about extinction of the plant and animal kingdoms on planet Earth. Articles on the topic indicate the sorry state of affairs and the negativity of the situation. Like creation, destruction is also universal.
The existing beautiful landforms and diversity of life came into being as a result of fragmentation of the supercontinent, Pangea, followed by continuous migration, sinking and upheaval of the landmass. They were always accompanied with the process of destruction and construction in the long developmental history of the Earth.
People feel a peculiar attraction towards studying material around their living environment ever since the beginning of civilisation. The ancient people in the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula searched and studied essential requirements of life. Drinking water being a primary requirement, they located a few aquifers at far off places in the desert terrain.
Water for consumption, then, used to be carried in masaks or animal skin bags on mule backs. We must appreciate the wisdom of ancient people who discovered these precious aquifers. Their thinking laid the foundation of knowledge in creating a beautiful healthy environment to live in, in this waterless, treeless, barren land.
Nature is wonderful in providing precious potable aquifers in deserts and continental slopes of salty sea water. Such aquifers existed in UAE, Bahrain, Saudi and in India too at Ganga Sagar, Rameshwaram, Mumbai. It is a blessing of the almighty that we get pools of sweet water very near to the salty sea.
The occurrence of two waters of different characters at a place are due to natural osmosis.
Many potable resources on the Earth have been destroyed in infrastructural developments. Still some aquifers can be traced and every effort should be made to protect them especially in the Gulf where, in most places, desalinated water is supplied.
A good move for big desalination plant by the emirate of Abu Dhabi is praise-worthy. On completion of the project, huge quantity of seawater will be treated for separating the salts employing the method of osmosis.
Large amount of desalinated water from the plant will not only serve Abu Dhabi but the northern UAE as well. Water will be stored in pools to be used in the UAE for days. There will be no scarcity of water. The steps taken on the project are being completed in the most scientific and technological way.
In the UAE, we are blessed to live in a safe society, where infrastructural developments have come up at a very fast rate. A plan to harvest the rainwater also needs to be looked into, for enhancement of water resources.
- The reader is based in Dubai
