People's involvement stressed for water conservation in Vijayawada

Vijayawada: Union Minister of State for Water Resources Rattan Lal Kataria said here on Monday that people's participation is very important for protection of water.

He was addressing a workshop on 'Maintenance of Groundwater Resources with Public Cooperation' at Kshetraiah Kalakshetram here jointly organised by the Union Ministry of Water Resources and the State government.

The Union Minister appealed to people to take part in the Central government's programme 'Jal Shakti Abhiyan' and make it a grand success. Stating that groundwater is essential for sizeable population in the country, the Union Minister said that awareness should be brought among people regarding the usage of groundwater in Andhra Pradesh also.

Out of the 400 billion cubic metres of rainfall throughout the country, only 62 per cent of it is being utilised, the Minister recalled.

Expressing concern over the depleting water resources throughout the country, the Union Minister said that already Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote letters to the village sarpanches about the precautions to be taken towards preserving water resources.

The Central government had already taken up groundwater restoration programme in 68 mandals in nine districts of Andhra Pradesh and as part of it, groundwater resources in YSR Kadapa district would be developed at a cost of Rs 5.5 crore making it an aspiration district. He also said that groundwater restoration programme was launched in 1,500 blocks of 254 districts throughout the country. He said that the country would become open defecation-free by October 2, the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. He recited the Central government slogan 'Jal Shakti is Jan Shakti.'

Minister for Water Resources Dr P Anil Kumar Yadav said that it is imperative that awareness should be brought among people regarding the preservation of water resources. Expressing concern over the depleting groundwater resources in Rayalaseema and Prakasam district, he said that people should take initiative to recharge the groundwater. He said that anything could be reproduced but not water and it is high time people caught hold of rainwater to recharge the groundwater.

Earlier, D Subba Rao, Regional Director of Central Groundwater Department, welcomed the gathering and K C Nayak, chairman of Central Groundwater department, Venkateswara Rao, Engineer 'n' Chief of State Groundwater department and others were present.

State Groundwater Department Director A Varaprasada Rao, Panchayat Raj and Rural development Additional Commissioner G Balasubrahmanyam and others also spoke.