New Delhi: Union Jal Shakti Secretary U P Singh stressed on the importance of participatory movement for making water conservation a success in India. He was referring to ‘Catch the Rain’ campaign recently launched by the ministry for effective rain water harvesting.
Delivering the Keynote Address at the inaugural of the first edition of ‘Global Water Management’ organised by APAC Digital News Network and hosted by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, National Water Mission, Namai Gange, Government of India, U P Singh stated that ‘as per the Jal Jeevan Mission, clean drinking water is being supplied to a number of households across India. Rather than ensuring distribution of water, we are focussing on source sustainability.’
He added, ‘while we all know the significance of groundwater, it is often overlooked since it is not visible. To further utilise and leverage this resource, we have launched Atal Bhujal Yojana.’
Talking about ‘Catch the Rain’ campaign, U P Singh, who is also in charge of Union Drinking Water & Sanitation Ministry, said, ‘this year we have launched Catch the Rain campaign. The idea is to involve the masses and make it participatory at all levels.’
He also highlighted the need to consider groundwater usage for agriculture purposes. While food security is ensured with growth of crops across seasons and regions, it may not be viable in terms of water usage. A balance needs to be drawn.
‘Several states are taking initiatives on water management either in terms of movements or campaigns. Another aspect of water management is waste water, which has not given due emphasis. While infrastructure is being created, it has not been utilised,’ he further added.
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