Rewari outlines district water conservation plan
In order to initiate a workable water conservation drive, while enriching the groundwater-table and restoring traditional water bodies, the district administration of water stressed Rewari in Haryana has come out with a district water conservation plan.
To begin with, all Gram Panchayats took inventories of existing water related infrastructure in their villages. The data was then integrated at block level and further integrated and compiled at the district Level. This facilitated the development of Rewari District Water Conservation Plan.
The initiative is among the key interventions of Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) under which water conservation activities are being carried out across the country.
This was reported by a team of central government officers, who visited 7 villages in the district during their first two JSA visits between 13th July and 21st August, 2019. (I visit – 13th to 15th July; II visit – 19th to 21st August)
The team comprised Central Nodal Officer, Madhu Ranjan Kumar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Human Resource Development; Block Nodal Officer, D. Bandyopadhyay, Deputy Secretary, NITI Aayog; and Technical Officer, R. Shimray, Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Their task was to assess the water conservation measures of the district, and initiate suitable action to put in place measures to enhance water conservation and rainwater harvesting; rejuvenate traditional ponds and water bodies; ensure reuse of borewell recharge structures; and promote watershed development and intensive afforestation.
As per the JSA team’s report, the water situation is very critical in Rewari, particularly in the Khol block which is declaimed as an over exploited block. The water table has been going down every year; although due to normal rainfall this year, the water situation is somewhat better at present.
The creation of the district water conservation plan for Rewari was a major output of the key JSA interventions, done in collaboration with the departments of Panchayati Raj, Drinking Water, Agriculture and Irrigation. The goal is to ensure water security.
In addition, all efforts are being made to make the campaign a mass peoples’ movement (jan andolan) so that people take ownership and work towards conserving water for the future.
According to the JSA team, one of the most important strategies of the plan was to mobilize farmers of the district through Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) which held Kisan Melas (farmers’ meetings) to appeal to them to shift to efficient irrigation practices such as micro-irrigation (drip Irrigation), among others.
In the pipeline are plans to implement rooftop rainwater harvesting structures on all public and private buildings. Further to enhance water table levels, as many as 8950 soak pits will be constructed under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and SBM-G – Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin.
Special focus will be given to treat grey water and reuse for gardening and other such purposes. Thus far, used water remained unused for various socio-cultural norms and habits.
Further, to ensure maximum participation of people and to motivate them to construct rooftop rainwater harvesting systems on individual or private buildings, various IEC activities are being undertaken.
[ The Blog was first published on https://jalshakti.wordpress.com/ ]
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