Uttarakhand: Jal Shakti Abhiyan “Catch the Rain” CS in VC requested to grant permission to government departments to work for the revival of water sources
In the video conferencing of the Cabinet Secretary of the Government of India related to Jal Shakti Abhiyan-Catch the Rain, Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand, Smt. Radha Raturi has requested to grant permission to the government departments to work for the revival of water sources located in forest areas in Uttarakhand.
Chief Secretary Smt. Radha Raturi informed that commendable work is being done for water conservation and revival of water sources in Uttarakhand through the State Level Spring and River Rejuvenation Authority (SARRA). Under the Jal Sanrakshan Abhiyan 2024, work is being done for water conservation, supply and water enrichment in the state through Catch the Rain, Jal Sanrakshan Abhiyan, Amrit Sarovar, Harela program. Critical drying water sources, tributary rivers and streams have been identified. Their storage areas have been identified. Water sources have been identified at the village level and instructions have been given for water supply activities in their treatment area. Instructions have been given to propose the treatment of minimum 10 critical drying water sources at the development block level and minimum 20 tributary rivers / streams at the district level under Jal Sanrakshan Abhiyan 2024.
It was informed in the meeting that 78 critical water sources have been identified by the Drinking Water Corporation. 415 critical water sources have been identified by the Jan Sansthan. A total of 250 tributary rivers / streams have been identified for treatment in different districts. Under Jal Sanrakshan Abhiyan 2024, the target is to conduct water supply activities in the treatment area of 4658 water sources at the village level, treatment activities of 770 critical drying water sources at the development block level and treatment activities in 228 tributary rivers / streams at the district level. Thus, the total number of water sources identified for treatment is 5428.
It was informed in the meeting that a water conservation app and dashboard has also been created for the evaluation and monitoring of the activities of the water conservation campaign. Due to which all the identified water sources and treatment activities are being geo-tagged.
Under groundwater recharge and water conservation activities in urban areas, recharge shafts are proposed to be constructed to recharge groundwater in various government offices, institutions, school premises and hotels and dharamshalas. In Dehradun city, 260 recharge shafts/borewells are proposed to be constructed in the premises of government institutions and schools by July 15, 2024. Apart from this, recharge shaft borewells are proposed to be constructed in 30 big residential colonies. In Haridwar city, 110 recharge shafts/borewells are proposed to be constructed in the premises of government institutions and schools by July 15, 2024. In Haldwani city, 80 recharge shafts/borewells are proposed to be constructed in the premises of government institutions and schools by July 15, 2024. Central Ground Water Board, Dehradun will provide technical support to recharge the groundwater of the above three cities.
Additional Chief Secretary Anand Vardhan, Secretary Dr. R Rajesh Kumar and other concerned officers were present in the meeting.
