Greater awareness among people required on water harvesting : Kaushal Kishore
Lucknow: On the occasion of World Water Day, a two-day national workshop at the Directorate of Local Bodies was inaugurated by Kaushal Kishore, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs. In this workshop organized on the theme ‘Sustainable and Inclusive Sanitation and Water for All’, he called for a clean India, an India with Amrit Kaal and an India full of water. Enumerating the achievements of the Central Government, he threw light on water conservation in detail. Along with this, he also appreciated the Safai mitras working day and night in the work of making the urban areas clean. Earlier, Director Local Bodies Directorate Neha Sharma welcomed the guest by presenting them with a bouquet.
He told that 75 weeks before the completion of 75 years of independence, the Amrit Mahotsav program of independence was started. Under this, 75-75 ponds were developed as Amrit Sarovar in each district of the state. So that rain water harvesting can be ensured.
Accumulation of rain water in ponds will increase the level of ground water and pure drinking water will be available to the common people. He said that we have to take more effective steps to stop the rain water.
There is a need to make the common people aware of water harvesting in the cities. Appreciating the Safai Mitras engaged in cleaning work under the Swachh Bharat Mission, Urban Uttar Pradesh, the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs said that every citizen should respect the Safai Mitras. They clean up the mess you spread. Due to their hard work, change is visible in Uttar Pradesh today.
On this occasion, Director Local Bodies Directorate Neha Sharma informed that the Swachh Bharat Mission is ready to make the urban areas clean. She said that 3080 identified Garbage Vulnerable Points (GVP) were cleaned by running a 75-hour campaign and such places were developed as selfie points and parks.
She added that Uttar Pradesh is fast moving towards ODF++. In the last survey, 40 urban bodies were ODF++. But this time our target is to make more than 50 percent of the urban bodies ODF++ against the total of 750 urban bodies.
Director Water Programme, CSE Dipendra Singh Kapoor shared his views on management of used water. He stressed that management of this water is the need of the hour. Managing Director Jal Kal (Urban) Anil Dhingra shared his views on the achievements and challenges of SBM 2.0 in the state.
Dr. VK Chaurasia, Joint Advisor, Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organization, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, provided detailed information on Used Water Treatment Plants in the workshop. Joint Advisor Satish Kumar threw light on purification of water through treatment using technology in small and medium towns in the workshop. The two-day workshop is proposed to conclude on Wednesday.
