Bhopal: As the monsoon nears, the Madhya Pradesh government is expediting the final phase of its Jal Ganga Samvardhan Abhiyan, a water conservation campaign rolled out across districts since 30 March.
Launched ahead of the monsoon season, the campaign aims to improve groundwater recharge and restore traditional water structures. With June-end set as the deadline in most districts, local administrations are focusing on completing works like pond deepening, soak pit construction, recharge pits near public institutions, as well as restoration of wells and stepwells.
The campaign is being implemented with multi-departmental coordination and a directive-based approach from district collectors and divisional commissioners.
In Ratlam, Collector Rajesh Batham has mandated real-time monitoring of progress through geo-tagging and shared Google Sheets. Recharge pits are being constructed near schools, health centres and Anganwadi facilities.
The Public Health Engineering (PHE) department has been assigned primary responsibility for on-ground execution, along with periodic inspections of Jal Shakti Kendras. Similarly, in Shahdol, Divisional Commissioner Surabhi Gupta has asked officials to complete all major water-related works by 20 June. This includes Amrit Sarovar projects, catchment clearance, and cleaning of defunct wells and stepwells.
In Dewas district, authorities used the historic Hathi Baori as a focal point for a community gathering. The event highlighted stepwell conservation and coincided with the tricentennial commemoration of Ahilyabai Holkar’s birth anniversary, serving both cultural and awareness purposes. In Mandla, mobile awareness vans are visiting villages to educate residents on water testing, chlorination and safe water use practices.
Meanwhile, Rewa and Mauganj are focusing on building new farm ponds and reviving defunct piped water supply schemes. In Gram Panchayat Dhopakhari, two farm ponds are currently under construction, reflecting the state’s broader effort to integrate water conservation with agricultural resilience.
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