category Regional, chandigarh, , tags Regional, chandigarh, , DW BUREAU CHANDIGARH Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Wednesday urged the residents to use water judiciously and avoid wastage. The Chief Minister was virtually addressing the people of the state after inaugurating 60 Amrit Sarovars from Dult village in the Tohana assembly constituency of Fatehabad district. Out of the 60 ponds, 31 are located in Fatehabad district. Manohar Lal said that Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi initiated the Amrit Sarovar Mission in 2022 to rejuvenate the country s ponds. Under this mission, the goal was to rejuvenate 1650 ponds in every district of Haryana, as per the plan of having 75 ponds in each district from May 1, 2002. Due to the efforts made by the state government and local levels, Haryana has successfully constructed 2078 Amrit Sarovars. An additional 200 Amrit Sarovars will be constructed in the upcoming month, he shared. The Chief Minister shared that to rejuvenate ponds in the State, the Haryana Pond and Wastewater Management Authority has been established, and the Authority has been directed to survey the ponds available in the state. According to the survey, a total of 19,649 ponds have been identified in the state, with approximately 18,000 ponds in rural areas and 900 ponds in urban areas. Out of these ponds, about 11,000 are polluted, and efforts are being made for their rejuvenation, he informed. Manohar Lal further shared that scientific studies highlight a water demand of approximately 35 lakh crore liters in the state, while the available water resources amount to around 21 lakh crore liters. Therefore, there is a shortage of about 14 lakh crore liters of water. Apart from groundwater, water is sourced from rainfall and mountains, he shared. The Chief Minister further stated that Haryana used to receive water from Punjab through the SYL canal as per agreement, but currently, it is not happening due to an interstate dispute. The matter is under consideration in the Supreme Court. Despite the ongoing dispute, the Haryana government has implemented effective water management. Approximately 300 tailes in South Haryana have been supplied with water, he said. Manohar Lal also shared that the Central Pollution Control Board has acknowledged and appreciated the initiatives taken by Haryana for the purification of polluted water, water conservation, and water management, considering Haryana as a model for other states. The Chief Minister said that before the present state government came into power, the designated amount for the cleaning and beautification of ponds was only Rs. 50,000 per pond. However, our government has increased this amount to Rs. 7 lakh per pond, leading to the rejuvenation of ponds across the state, he said. Manohar Lal further shared that by cleaning and filling ponds with treated water, it can be utilized for irrigation, drinking water for livestock, and other essential needs. The Chief Minister said that farmers have excessively used chemical fertilizers, resulting in increased crop yield but deteriorating soil quality. He said that due to the formation of a compact layer in the soil due to chemicals, rainwater is not seeping into the ground, causing waterlogging and marshy conditions in many areas. Not only that, but the excessive use of chemical fertilizers has led to serious diseases like cancer today. To overcome this problem, there is a need to shift towards natural farming, said Sh. Manohar Lal. The Chief Minister appealed to farmers to opt for alternative crops instead of paddy for water conservation and solving waterlogging issues. For this, the government has implemented the Mera Pani Meri Virasat scheme, providing an incentive of Rs. 7,000 per acre to farmers who refrain from cultivating paddy. So far, farmers have left paddy cultivation on 1,74,000 acres. The Chief Minister said that with a focus on groundwater recharging, 1000 recharge wells have already been constructed in the state. The target for the next year is also set to construct 1000 more recharge wells. The construction of these wells will make it possible to irrigate an additional approximately 8000 acres of land each year, he said. Manohar Lal shared that out of the total 95 lakh acres of land suitable for agriculture in Haryana, irrigation is possible on 45 lakh acres through canal water. The remaining land is irrigated through rainfall or tube wells. He further informed that 200 treatment plants have been installed in the state to purify water, providing 700 cusecs of treated water. This treated water is being utilized for horticulture, irrigation, and industrial purposes, he said. (editor dailyworld.in)