Coimbatore : District Collector, K. Rajamani headed the discussion on Jal Shakti Abhiyan scheme, a water conservation campaign to be executed in two Phases -- Phase 1 from 1st July to 15th September 2019 for all States and Union Territories; and Phase 2 from 1st October to 30th November 2019 for States and UTs receiving the retreating monsoon (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu).
Coimbatore : District Collector, K. Rajamani headed the discussion on Jal Shakti Abhiyan scheme, a water conservation campaign to be executed in two Phases -- Phase 1 from 1st July to 15th September 2019 for all States and Union Territories; and Phase 2 from 1st October to 30th November 2019 for States and UTs receiving the retreating monsoon (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu).
As part of the campaign, officers, groundwater experts and scientists from the Government of India will work together with state and district officials of most water-stressed districts for water conservation and water resource management.
In his speech the District Collector said, Jal Sakthi Abhiyan by the Ministry of Drinking water and sanitation will commence from July 1 to July 15 for first phase and October 2 to November 30 in second phase in Coimbatore.
"Under Jal Shakti Abhiyan, focus will be on 256 water stressed districts and 1,592 water stressed blocks. There are five key intervention areas under the movement including water conservation and rainwater harvesting, renovation of traditional and other water bodies, reuse, borewell recharge structures, watershed development and intensive afforestation", he said.
The Jal Shakti Abhiyan would aim to accelerate water harvesting, conservation and borewell recharge activities already being carried out under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme.
The Collector added that "Water bodies will be created in 24,160 acres of land for 7,494 beneficiaries, out of which 3,645 is already completed. With the completion of all 6,764 crores litres of water will be restored to the ground."
"Through dredging of lakes and ponds in the district, the ground water has increased to 17.62 meters against 29.76 meter in 2017-18 and 22.31 in 2018-19. The increase has helped the farmers to replenish their wells and other water sources nearby their farmlands. Water in borewells have also increased", he noted.
Collector, K. Rajamani advised the public to cooperate to implement the Jal Sakthi Abhiyan plan to conserve our water sources and implement rain water harvesting in their homes.
Higher officials from various departments including Deputy Secretary, Deepanand Saahu of Agricultural Cooperation and Farmers Welfare department, Mr. Jayaseelan, Deputy Secretary, Ajith Kumar, Deputy Secretary of Consumer protection department, Abhay Kumar, Scientists of the ground water department Mini Chandran, M. Senthil Kumar, T. Kanagasundar, V.S Joshi, K.Anisha, N. Vinaychandran, Water resources management, Director S.K Das and other officials were present.