Arjun Santhosh was born and brought up on Perumbalam island in Alappuzha surrounded by the waters of Vembanad Lake, one of the most polluted waterbodies in the country. On Sunday, the 21-year-old swam a 32-km stretch across the lake from Vaikom to Panangad non-stop with the sole objective of raising awareness about the conservation of waterbodies.
Began at 8.50 a.m., it took Arjun four hours and 50 minutes to complete the challenge. “I did this not to secure any records but to create awareness on the importance of protecting our waterbodies. Many of them are in highly degraded state due to plastic pollution and other contamination,” he says.
“Besides being a major source of drinking water for humans, the lives of several plants and animals too depend on waterbodies. A large number of people hinge on waterbodies like Vembanad Lake for livelihood. We should stop polluting waterbodies and protect them for a better future,” says Arjun, who is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education at a college in Idukki.
