Knowledge hub & Jal Shakti Kendra inaugurated under ‘catch the rain’ campaign in Silchar

Dec. 2: As a part of ‘Catch the rain’ Campaign and to create mass awareness on Jal Shakti Abhiyan, Deputy Commissioner Cachar Keerthi Jalli inaugurated a knowledge hub and a ‘Jal Shakti Kendra’ at the office premises of Deputy Commissioner ,Silchar here on Tuesday.

While speaking on the occasion, Deputy Commissioner Keerthi Jalli said “Jal Shakti Abhiyan is a campaign for water conservation and water security in the country and an important part of Jal Shakti Abhiyan is that it will focus on five aspects, water conservation and rain water harvesting, renovation of traditional and other water bodies, reuse of water and recharging of structure, watershed development and intensive afforestation”.

Emphasising on the objectives of the mission, Jalli said, “The government aims at providing drinking water to every household on priority and in a sustainable manner and for this water conservation interventions will be supplemented with special intervention including the development of the block and district water conservation plans, promotion of efficient water use for irrigation”.

“Jal shakti abhiyan should bring positive changes in people for water conservation,” she added. While elaborating about the purpose of opening up of a knowledge hub at the rooftop of DC’S office, which has been inaugurated on the day. DC Jalli said, “Knowledge center will disseminate information related to water conservation techniques and will provide technical guidance to the people”.

“Knowledge centre has been opened up for the public to get information related to water and water sources in the district and a technical guidance center to advise local people about the appropriate rain water harvesting structures , suitable to the climatic conditions and soil strata to be taken up to store water,” Jalli quipped. DC  Cachar also appealed to conserve rain water for harvesting in the houses of the district.

It is pertinent to mention that Ministry of Jal Shakti launched a nation wide campaign ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan’. Catch the rain focussing on saving and conserving rain water with the theme ‘Catch the rain,where it falls,when it falls’ from 22 March to 30 November, 2021 covering both urban and rural areas of all the districts in the country to create rain water harvesting structures suitable to the climatic conditions and sub-soil strata with people’s active participation.

It is to be mentioned that Jal Shakti Kendras have been set up along with roof-top, ground water recharge, water fountain along with rain water harvesting structure, which will also act as a Knowledge Centre for the public to get information related to water and water sources in the district and a technical guidance centre to advice local people about the appropriate rain water harvesting structures, suitable to the climatic conditions and soil strata to be taken up to store rain water.

The same has also been set up in the Block Office of Udharbond LAC on 1 November. The information related to preparation of GIS based Water Conservation Plans and Inventory of Water Bodies for the district and the Block are stored at the said Kendras along with the GIS Map showing the available Water Bodies in the district and the Block which will help the Govt. Offices and the Block Office to take up the schemes with ease.

Moreover, disposal of public complaints and grievances will be addressed on Friday of every week as ‘Abhijuger Pratikar’. The Chief Executive officer of Cachar Zilla Parishad will motivate the GP presidents and secretaries to strengthen the activities of Jal Shakti Abhiyan through Block Development officers of the district in addition to that as well trained person, Assistant Executive Engineer of Cachar Zilla Parishad, Sailesh Kumar Singh has been assigned in implementation of rain water harvesting structure. District Development Commissioner, Cachar, Rajib Roy, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Sadhan Sarkar, Senior planning Officer, Transformation & Development Branch, Ruli Daulagupu, Assistant Executive Engineer, Zilla Parishad, Sailesh kumar Singh were also present on the occasion.