Jal Shakti abhiyan launched -DC Bathinda urges residents to save every drop of rainwater
KS Diwan/ royalpatiala.in/ Bathinda
Launching the Jal Shakti Abhiyaan in district Bathinda today, Deputy Commissioner B. Srinivasan said that 1100 rainwater harvesting structures will be constructed in rural Bathinda to enable recharging of underground water table. Five rainwater harvesting structures will be raised at every gram panchayat.
Besides this 150 government buildings including the District Administrative Complex, government schools and court complexes have also been identified for the purpose of installing rainwater harvesting system. “There are grey areas where water-level is continuously nose-diving for the past many years and this is high time to raise its level,” Srinivasan said.
He added that also five ponds will be developed in each block to increase their water holding capacity and enabling water to seep into ground for raising water table. Also to increase the forest cover for increasing rainfall, more than 1.75 lacs saplings will be planted will under 550 the year celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
In order to effectively implement Jal Shakti Abhiyaan, corporate houses are also being roped under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). WIth the help of CSR funds from banks, rainwater harvesting structures are being constructed at Mall Road, Power House Road and 100 feet road. All these are low lying areas that face water logging problem. Not only will the rainwater harvesting recharge underground water table but will also take care of water logging after rainfall.
Deputy Commissioner urged the area residents to be ready to save every drop of rainwater this monsoon so that this natural and valuable water should not go wasted. “Apart from increasing the groundwater level, people can also store the rainwater in their homes, farm-houses and commercial buildings,” he said.
For the purpose of sensitizing public the district administration has roped in NGOs who are already creating awareness among the masses in this regard. Concerned over the reducing water table the government officers and some employees have also decided to donate one day salary for this project.
A team of senior officers are already monitoring the Seechewal Model of cleaning the ponds in ten villages of the district and decides to soon include more number of villages.
What is Jal Shakti Abhiyan?
- Under this mission it is decided that every drop of rainwater should be saved for the purpose of increasing the ground water table or be stored for daily use.
- Rooftops of all the government buildings in district would be used to save the rainwater this monsoon season.
- It will be ensured under this project that the treated water of STPs (Sewerage Treatment Plants) would be used for the purpose of watering agricultural fields.
- The encroached upon water bodies like ponds, lakes or others would be rejuvenated so that the rainwater can be stored for the day when there is no water.
- Cleaning of already existing rainwater harvesting systems installed in the rural and urban areas of the district.
