JSA launched at Tura

SHILLONG, JULY 1: As part of the Pan India Campaign – “The Jal Shakti Abhiyan” was launched today by the Commissioner and Secretary, Community and Rural Department (C& RD), Meghalaya, Shillong, P Sampath Kumar along with CEO, MSRLS, Shantanu Sharma here at Tura.

It may be mentioned that the campaign aims to target water stressed areas for stocktaking and conservation initiatives since India faces deficit monsoon season and widespread water shortages and also to increase the water table in water stressed areas. Therefore, in view of this, a Review Meeting of all Deputy Commissioners of eleven districts was also held today simultaneously through video conference from NIC, Tura. Deputy Commissioners, Project Directors, Block Development Officers and other officials of the respective districts took part in the meeting.

In the review meeting, Commissioner and Secretary, C&RD, P Sampath Kumar emphasized on the strategy and action for taking up Water Conservation and National Rural Mission (NRM) related works during the monsoon season as part of Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA), a nationwide Water Campaign launched by Government of India from 1^st July to 15^th September 2019. Stating that the campaign is time bound and on a mission mode which will be implemented phase wise, he said that phase I commences from 1^st July to 15^th September while phase II from 1^st October to 31^st March 2020 which will be used for construction of big structure or multipurpose dam in any identified location especially in water stressed areas. The main objective of the Water Campaign is to ramp up rain water harvesting and conservation efforts so as to promote efficient use of water especially during the dry months, he added.

During the meeting, he also directed the Block Development Officers of respective blocks to identify water stressed areas/villages and to come up with model plan estimate and other interventions including rain water harvesting, construct check dams wherever possible, spring shed development, renovation of traditional water bodies, revive and reuse borewell structures, etc. Referring to the mass plantation during world environment day recently, he also suggested for intensive afforestation in water catchment areas of the districts. Mentioning about the grey water treatment in Punjab where the used water from the bathrooms were connected to a pond, which is then treated and can be used for washing of clothes, watering the garden, etc, he said that over here we do not know where the sewage water goes and stressed on the need to make soak- pits or other options to recharge ground water in the area.

Informing that every state, district and blocks have their own irrigation plans, therefore, he stressed on the need to integrate this with water conservation plan and also to involve as many people as possible including SHGs, VECs, NGOs, community, students, etc to cooperate and support in the campaign for water security in our respective districts. Meanwhile, with regard to the training of technical knowledge about water conservation he informed that technical classes will be provided every Saturday for technical assistants and all those involve in the campaign.

By Our Reporter