Central team reviews rainwater conservation work in Kangra district

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Dharamsala, December 3

A delegation of the Union Government has lauded the Kangra district administration for the ‘Catch the Rain’ campaign, aimed at rainwater collection and conservation.

Kangra DC Nipun Jindal said the central team, headed by Shalabh Tyagi, Joint Secretary, Union Ministry of Defence, took stock of the work done under the scheme during a two-day field visit. The team reviewed the rainwater collection and conservation project in the district, visited Nurpur and Jawali on November 30 and toured Palampur and Kangra the next day.

Jindal said the nodal officer was given detailed information about water storage structures built in the district through the departments of Rural Development, Agriculture, Jal Shakti and Forest. The team also appreciated special initiatives taken by the administration, including the work of mapping fire hydrants and sewage treatment plants for fire sensitive forest areas.

The administration has mapped natural water bodies and sources with more than five lakh litres of water in the district. Water sources close to forests have been mapped in case of any requirement during forest fires. Sewage treatment plants in the district were also being directly connected to fire hydrants, the DC said.

He added that special measures were being taken to construct rainwater harvesting structures and check-dams in areas with low groundwater levels. He said under the ‘Catch the Rain’ campaign, a task force had been formed at the block and panchayat levels.

He said the Central Government was doing conservation and beautification of ponds under the ‘Amrit Sarovar’ scheme. Rainwater harvesting structures would be constructed at all government institutions, starting from Dharamsala.