By OUR STAFF REPORTER
Dehradun, 11 Feb: Due to climate change, the drying up of natural water sources has resulted in a continuous scarcity of water for domestic consumption and irrigation. The declining agricultural productivity has also been a significant factor contributing to migration from the hill areas. Considering these issues, the state government is making serious efforts towards rainwater conservation and the rejuvenation of water sources based on watershed regions.
This was stated by state Minister of Water Resources, Tourism, Public Works, Irrigation, Panchayati Raj, Rural Development, Religious Affairs, and Culture, Satpal Maharaj, during the inauguration of the “Watershed Yatra”, a national public awareness campaign under the’ Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana Watershed Development 2.0’, today, at a hotel in Niranjanpur. He mentioned that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for a developed India, rainwater conservation is being strongly promoted. To spread awareness about watershed development and encourage people to conserve rainwater, the Watershed Yatra campaign has been launched across the state.
Before flagging off the Watershed Yatra, Minister Satpal Maharaj addressed the gathering, stating that, through this campaign, people from various districts of the state will learn about the work done in the project areas and its outcomes. He pointed out that excessive use of chemicals in farming is causing gallbladder cancer in Uttarakhand, and the government will take steps to prevent this. As part of the campaign, the government has designed mobile vans that will visit villages, raising awareness about water and environmental conservation.
Emphasising the importance of soil and water conservation for the present and future needs, Maharaj stressed the need for community participation in the effective and successful implementation of the WDC PMKSY project in Uttarakhand. During the event, Dharmapur MLA Vinod Chamoli and Padma Shri awardee Kalyan Singh Rawat “Maiti” also shared their views on the significance of water conservation.
On the occasion of the Watershed Yatra launch, people from 30 Gram Panchayats, along with students from Graphic Era and Guru Ram Rai School, participated in the event.
The event was attended by Additional Chief Secretary Anand Vardhan, Additional CEO, SLNA, Himanshu Khurana, Project Director Neena Grewal, Joint Director, SLNA, Dr AK Dimri, Dr SK Singh, Dr SK Upadhyay, Dr Meenakshi Joshi, and Naveen Barfhal, along with many departmental officers and employees. The programme was conducted by Dr JC Pandey.
