Central team reviews water conservation steps in Kaithal dist

Our Correspondent

Kaithal, July 16

A team of officials from the Central Government comprising Devender Singh, Economic Adviser to Union Ministry of Labour and Employment; Mohinder Pal, Director Housing and Urban Affairs; and Mritunjay Kumar Mishra, Deputy Secretary, Union Agriculture Ministry; along with scientists PK Nayak and SK Nayak took stock of the measures taken to conserve water under the Jal Shakti Abhiyan at various places in the district on Monday.

Devender Singh said that rainwater should be conserved through water harvesting methods so that the depleting underground water level improves. Everyone should work to reuse used water. Water harvesting systems should be installed in all schools to create awareness among students and also in industrial units. Saplings should be planted to make the environment green, he added. He reviewed steps taken by various government departments in this direction.

He emphasised on drip irrigation in farming to avoid exploitation of underground water. He said the wastage of water should be checked and every gram panchayat should have at least 25 pits to absorb excess water .

Deputy Commissioner Priyanka Soni said that every panchayat would be given Rs 10 lakh as incentive for installing water harvesting systems in all government buildings. The water retaining capacity of ponds was being increased and a target to plant four lakh saplings during the current monsoon season had been fixed, she added.

Later, the team visited Siwan, Manjhla Kaul and Pabnawa villages and reviewed steps taken for water conservation through water harvesting systems.

Expert: Make Jal Shakti Abhiyan a movement

Devender Singh, economic adviser to the Union Labour and Employment Ministry, has said all public representatives should make the Jal Shakti Abhiyan a public movement to conserve water and recharge groundwater. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken an initiative on this front. This needs public support,” he said while addressing sarpanches and councillors here on Tuesday. “Water harvesting systems should be installed in all schools and government buildings. Trees should be planted to make the environment green,” he said, adding that drip irrigation must be adopted to avoid exploitation of groundwater. Deputy Commissioner Priyanka Soni said, “Every panchayat will be given Rs 10 lakh as an incentive for installing the water harvesting systems in government buildings. The water-retaining capacity of ponds is being increased. The target is to plant four lakh saplings this monsoon.”