Kolkata, March 21 (IANS): Armed with a variety of decorated hand puppets, a group of school students here will spread the message of water conservation on the occasion of World Water Day Saturday.

"In an event organised by the Birla Industrial and Technological Museum (BITM) here, puppetry will be used to highlight water crisis. Neon lights, creative audio-visuals and vibrant backdrops will accentuate the performances," an official said.

"We have trained the students to use hand puppets (gloves) and developed a special script," BITM's education officer Tarun Das told IANS.

In one particular script, puppets will enact how industrial pollution and waste discharges are affecting the fish in rivers and lakes. A part of it will depict the wastage of water through actions like improperly shut taps.

Students will also be engaged in a water sample testing activity.

About 1.3 billion people in the world cannot access electricity, 768 million lack access to clean drinking water and 2.5 billion people have no proper sanitation facilities. Water and energy have crucial impact on poverty alleviation.

In 2014, the UN will be addressing the issue of water-energy nexus, particularly inequities, especially for the "bottom billion" who live in slums and impoverished rural areas and survive without access to safe drinking water, adequate sanitation and sufficient food and energy services.