World Bank to assess work done on groundwater in Kurukshetra

Tribune News Service

Nitish Sharma

Kurukshetra, April 17

To assess and inspect the work being done under the Atal Bhujal Yojana to improve the groundwater level in Kurukshetra for which water security plans are being prepared, a team of World Bank and National Programme Management Unit will visit Kurukshetra soon.

As per the information available, a team of the World Bank will visit Sarsa and Surmi villages of Pehowa block in Kurukshetra on April 21.

The team will also hold meetings with the Deputy Commissioner, District Implement Partner, district programme management unit and departments involved in this project and assess the work being done.

As many as 189 villages of Pehowa, Ladwa and Shahabad blocks of Kurukshetra were identified as dark zone under the Atal Bhujal Yojana, a central scheme aided by the World Bank.

Village-specific water security plans were to be prepared under the scheme. While plans of 116 villages have been prepared, the remaining will be prepared by June-end.

The World Bank team will visit the villages to see the ongoing activities by various departments, community participation in preparation of water security plans, observation wells and IEC (information, education and communication) activities under the project.

Groundwater expert Dr Naveen Nain, who has been working on this project, said, “The villages were identified so that those could overcome the situation of dark zone. The recommendations made in the water security plans will be implemented after the visit and assessment of the visiting team. They will check community participation in the preparation of water security plans, work done under the project and measures adopted by the farmers to save groundwater. The World Bank team will also honour some progressive farmers, students, women and social workers who have been working for water conservation.

“Earlier this year, the Irrigation Department had also selected both villages to provide 100 per cent subsidy for implementation of micro-irrigation technique. The target of improving the groundwater can’t be achieved without public participation,” he added.

189 VILLAGES IN ‘DARK’ ZONE

As many as 189 villages of Pehowa, Ladwa and Shahabad blocks of Kurukshetra were identified as dark zone under the Atal Bhujal Yojana, a central scheme aided by the bank.

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