Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav said a campaign will be run in the entire state, for the conservation and revitalization of water sources, from Environment Day on June 5 till Ganga Dashami festival.
During the campaign activities will be conducted in every district to keep water sources like rivers, wells, ponds, step wells, etc. clean and if necessary, deepen them.
This work will be done with public participation to awaken social consciousness toward water sources and develop a lively relationship between the common people and the water sources. Ganga Dashami festival is the incarnation day of Maa Ganga and it is through Maa Ganga that Indian culture is known throughout the world.
Public representatives will lead this campaign in urban and rural areas and the District Collector will co-ordinate the activities. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said this in a message issued to the media.
“Jal hi Jeevan Hai” is not just a slogan, we get life only from water sources
Chief Minister Dr. Yadav urged all social, government, non-government organizations and organizations associated with Jan Abhiyan Parishad to participate in the campaign.
He said that water structures should be selected with public participation and intensive public awareness programs should be run for their conservation.
This will help in making action plans regarding water conservation for the future.
During this period, programs of religious significance like Kshipra Parikrama of Ujjain, Chunari Utsav, programs held on the banks of the Narmada River should also be organized with full devotion.
He said that there are more than 212 rivers in the state, rivers, step wells, wells and ponds play an important role in the supply of drinking water. “Jal hi Jeevan Hai” is not just a slogan, it is clear from the role of water sources in our lives.
The objective of this campaign is that this generation should be aware of the importance of these water structures and our relationship with the water structures should be deeper.
Water structures will be freed of encroachments by the district administration
Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that during the campaign, the soil released from rivers and ponds in the form of silt or manure will be made available to the farmers for use in the fields.
The district administration will ensure that encroachments on water structures are removed. Instructions have been issued to the officials regarding the campaign. Initially, this campaign will be run from the 5th to the 15th of June following which, the duration of the campaign can be extended.
Chief Minister Dr. Yadav said that it is hoped that this year, from Environment Day to Ganga Dashami, effective work will be done for the conservation of drinking water sources with everyone’s participation, which will provide us an opportunity to be proud.
Panchayat and Rural Development and Urban Development and Housing will be the nodal departments for the campaign
For this special campaign being started for the conservation and revitalization of water sources in the name of Namami Gange Pariyojana, the Panchayat and Rural Development will be the nodal department in rural areas, and the Urban Development and Housing will be the nodal department in urban areas.
GIS technology will be used for the selection and upgradation of water structures. Geo-tagging of these places will be done through the mobile app.
Activities like maintaining cleanliness around water structures, planting trees as fencing to prevent encroachment on the banks of water structures, creating buffer zones on the banks of water structures, and converting and developing them into green areas or parks will be encouraged through social organizations.
Under the Swachh Bharat Mission, the dirty water found in the water structures will be treated and released into the water structures after diversion.
Awareness campaign will be run for the rainwater harvesting system
The state government has issued instructions to ensure the upgradation of water structures on top priority under the Amrit 2.0 scheme.
Under this, the work of revitalization/conservation and upgradation of structures of rivers, lakes, ponds, wells, step wells, etc. will be done with public participation in collaboration with local social and administrative institutions.
Efforts will be made to ensure that the water structures can be used for water supply or tourism, groundwater conservation, fisheries, or water chestnut (singhada) production.
An awareness campaign will also be conducted for cleaning and reusing closed rain water harvesting systems in residential areas.
Detailed instructions have also been given to the civic bodies regarding activities like cleaning of drains, water draining management, ghat construction, tree plantation, etc.
