Doda, June 01: “Understand the need for water conservation, its judicious use, protection of water sources and rainwater harvesting to make safe and sufficient water available for our future. Be the champions of water conservation and spread awareness to motivate society towards this noble cause.”
This was said by Union Joint Secretary, Ministry for Development of North Eastern Region and Central Nodal Officer (CNO) for Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) ‘Catch the Rain’ (CTR), Angshuman Dey, while interacting with students and teachers here.
Dey, along with Scientist D, CGWB, Gargee Sharma, members of Jal Shakti Abhiyan, are on a three-day visit to the district here, and had an exhaustive interactive session with students of 108 higher secondary schools and high schools on day first of their visit.
The students and teachers of Government Higher Secondary School Boys Doda and Government Higher Secondary School Girls Doda attended the session in person while students and teachers of other higher secondary and high schools participated virtually.
Prior to interaction with students, the Union Joint Secretary conducted a detailed assessment of various crucial aspects of the Jal Shakti Abhiyan. He reviewed the implementation of programme in the district in a meeting with SE Jal Shakti and other concerned engineers and officials of the department. He reviewed the financial and physical progress achieved, so far, in the district and appreciated the efforts of the district administration and other stakeholders in effectively implementing the Jal Shakti Abhiyan.
District Development Commissioner, Vishesh Mahajan, presented a detailed report on the steps being taken up by the district administration to harvest the rainwater and recharge the groundwater in the district. He informed that all the building constructions within the municipal limits of Doda, Bhaderwah and Thathri have been ordered to have mandatory rain harvesting mechanisms in place. “Every household in rural areas has built soakage pits near their homes under MGNREGA in the previous financial year. Extensive awareness campaigns are being run in the schools through Prabhari Officer to motivate the students to imbibe in them the habits of water conservation,” he said.
The DC said that 85 Amrit Sarovars (sacred ponds) were established last year by the administration and there is a target to construct one Amrit Sarovar in all of the 237 panchayats of the district during the current financial year. Besides, a unique campaign is being launched among the students called “Mai Be Pani Champion”, he added. He asked the students to share their stories and activities regarding the conservation of water under the ‘Catch the Rain’ campaign.
