Activities of the Jal Ganga Samvardhan Abhiyan Should Persist in the Future

Identify Drinking Water Sources and Enhance Their Capacity : Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav
“‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ Must Evolve into a Movement with Broad Public Participation”
Chief Minister Dr. Yadav instructs district and divisional officers in video conference

Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav emphasized that the Jal Ganga Samvardhan Abhiyan, which was celebrated like a festival from June 5 to June 30 on World Environment Day, has achieved commendable results across many districts. Significant restoration efforts have revitalized numerous old step wells and cleaned up various water sources. Recognizing the practical benefits of these initiatives, it is imperative to continue these efforts beyond June 30, focusing on future sustainability. Documentation of innovative practices is essential, alongside a concerted effort to identify outstanding tasks and ensure their completion. Furthermore, the campaign to locate and enhance water sources should persist, utilizing available water reservoirs effectively. Initiatives such as fishing and other economic activities should be encouraged to promote local employment. Collaborative efforts with CEDMAP are recommended for conducting studies and surveys aimed at developing sustainable water structures in areas facing groundwater depletion. District Panchayats are urged to play an active role in optimizing the effectiveness of these water resources.

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav was in a discussion with the collectors, commissioners, and senior police officers of all the districts of the state, from Samatva Bhawan at the Chief Minister’s residence. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav directed that saving water sources, cleaning them, and increasing the utility and capacity of water sources should be done regularly in the urban and rural areas of the state.

Chief Secretary Smt. Veera Rana, Additional Chief Secretary of Chief Minister’s Office Dr. Rajesh Rajoura, Principal Secretary Shri Sanjay Kumar Shukla and Shri Raghavendra Kumar Singh and Secretary Shri Bharat Yadav were present during the video conference. Director General of Police Shri Sudhir Kumar Saxena joined virtually from Jabalpur.

Water Conservation Initiatives Across Urban, Rural, and Forest Areas

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav was apprised about the rural initiatives of the Jal Ganga Samvardhan Abhiyan from Additional Chief Secretary Shri Malay Kumar Srivastava, while Principal Secretary Shri Neeraj Mandloi briefed him on urban water conservation efforts. Additional Chief Secretary Forest Shri Ashok Varnwal provided details on the progress and future strategies for conservation work in forested areas.

Campaign launched with public participation

Special Jal Sammelans were conducted in every urban area of the state, accompanied by efforts to clear encroachments around water structures. Significant water conservation initiatives were undertaken in rural areas, while in urban regions, approximately 2.25 lakh citizens contributed voluntary labor (shramdaan) to increase water storage capacity by about 30 lakh cubic meters during the campaign. Over a thousand water structures were preserved, with more than six lakh cubic meters of silt removed and saplings planted around these sites. To raise public awareness, painting and essay competitions were organized, alongside events like Kalash Yatra. Students Pledged to promote water conservation. The progress of water structure upgrades under the Amrit 2.0 scheme was also reviewed. The efforts in rural areas notably enhanced public awareness, with completed projects under various schemes aimed at restoring and conserving old wells and ponds. In some districts, members of self-help groups actively participated. Additionally, ancient and historical ponds were successfully rejuvenated.

These districts gave details of the works

In today’s video conference, Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav was briefed by the collectors of Singrauli, Chhatarpur, Jhabua, Damoh, Raisen, Datia, Khandwa, Jabalpur, Ashok Nagar, and Indore about the ongoing activities of the Jal Ganga Samvardhan Abhiyan. Singrauli district reported completion of about four thousand projects, including demarcation of rivers and ponds. In Chhatarpur, efforts are focused on renovating ponds dating back to the Chandel period, benefiting farmers with increased agricultural productivity through improved water sources. In Jhabua district, work involved deepening 195 tanks, supported by the Ajeevika Mission’s women in water conservation and intensive plantation efforts. Damoh district identified and demarcated approximately one thousand step-wells (bawadis), undertaking cleaning initiatives to remove water hyacinth, with local citizens committing to weekly voluntary clean-ups. Raisen district developed 58 Amrit Sarovars and garnered community support for cleanliness drives in 40 villages along the Narmada riverbanks, alongside organizing Jal Sansads in local Panchayats. Datia district removed two thousand dumpers of silt from the main water body Sita Sagar, while Khandwa successfully rejuvenated four historical kunds. Jabalpur saw the rejuvenation of a two-year-old step-well, supported by community efforts. In Ashok Nagar and Mungaoli, community involvement was crucial in deepening the Ganesh Shankar and local ponds. Lastly, Indore district witnessed heightened awareness among urban and rural residents on water conservation practices.

District-wise targets set for the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign

Chief Minister Dr. Yadav instructed to ensure the success of the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign initiated on the call of Prime Minister Shri Modi. He emphasized that this campaign should actively engage the common people. District-specific targets must be met, and awareness drive in urban and rural areas should continue until July 15th. Dr. Yadav emphasized Madhya Pradesh’s leadership role in implementing this campaign and encouraged people to plant trees in residential areas and fields, extending the initiative to every panchayat. Furthermore, efforts should be intensified for geo-tagging and uploading plantation photos on the website. It was stressed that saplings should be adequately protected post-planting. During the discussion, collectors from Bhopal, Indore, and Betul districts presented strategies for extensive tree planting. Updates on plantation targets and campaign progress in other districts were also provided, underscoring ongoing efforts towards achieving campaign success.