Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Kiran Bedi raised Chennai's water situation once again on Saturday, saying it was probably 90% man-made. Her tweet last month blaming politicians, bureaucrats and the people for the water crisis in the city drew criticism from political parties.
On Saturday, Ms. Bedi, while making a point that when it came to health issues, 90% was self-induced and 10% was inherited, used the city's water crisis as an example. “Chennai's water situation was probably 90% man-made and 10% nature-set,” she said. "I know I have got a lot of flak for saying this. But that is the fact of the matter. It is 90% man-made when we cover up our water bodies, build constructions in it, choke it up and not clear it up and let it be, and not do any rainwater harvesting and think the water will be enough for everybody," she said.
She was in the city to take part in an awareness event for the prevention and care of diabetes in girls and women, organised by Diabetes in Women Worldwide Awareness Advocacy Action Strategies (DIWWAAAS). The key to good health is primary prevention that goes back to personal management, she said. Diabetes can be prevented through a regime of discipline, she added. Girija Vaidyanathan, former Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu, stressed the need to talk to young women about diabetes. Usha Sriram, founder of DIWWAAAS, said the organisation was started in 2013 to increase awareness about diabetes in women and do advocacy. It had trained 1,000 doctors in India on the nuances in diabetes in women, she said.