DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil on Saturday stressed the importance of water conservation, stating that it is the need of the hour, as he launched the nationwide campaign "Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain-2025" from Panchkula.

Addressing a gathering at the event, Patil said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had emphasised turning water conservation into a people's movement, and "today's event is a reflection of that." He emphasised that the need of the hour is to save water because water cannot be created.

"Water will be the first criterion on which future generations will evaluate us. To secure water conservation for the future, we need to advance in water storage by making various plans and experimenting with different methods," said the Union Minister.

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini was also present at the occassion, according to an official release.

The Union Minister said that, due to the visionary leadership of the prime minister, the growing problem of water scarcity has been mitigated.

Under the leadership of PM Modi, 25 lakh women in the country were trained to check the quality of water coming into their villages and homes and they were provided with kits for the same.

However, during the 70 years of Congress rule, there was never a need to train anyone, as the government never provided water to people's homes, he alleged.

Women had to fetch water from distant places, and the water was often not even fit for drinking, he said, adding that it was impossible for them to be concerned about the quality of the water. He said that under the Jal Jeevan Mission, the Har Ghar Jal scheme provides 55 liters of water per person.

He further stated that if the underground water is completely used up, there will be no water left for future generations, so it is essential to store rainwater.

Patil said the Prime Minister believes that water for villages should stay in villages, and water for fields should stay in fields.

For this, the Ministry of Jal Shakti has developed different designs, and work will also be carried out on these in Haryana, he added.

In his address, Patil mentioned that to ensure Haryana receives its rightful share of water, a meeting with the chief ministers of the concerned states will be held in the coming days to resolve inter-state water issues.

Once these issues are resolved, Haryana will receive the water it is entitled to, he said.

Patil remarked that Haryana is a progressive state that depends on other states for its water supply. "It also receives less rainfall. In such a state, it is necessary for both the government and citizens to be concerned about ensuring that there is no water shortage in the future," said Patil.

Therefore, with public participation, both the central and Haryana governments will work together in a committed manner to solve the problem of water scarcity in the state, said the Union Minister.

Haryana CM Saini called upon every Haryanvi to take a pledge to save every single drop of water and prevent its misuse. He encouraged people to become "Jal Mitras" and contribute to the success of the "Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain 2025" campaign.

Saini emphasized that the initiative would be a milestone in the efforts being taken for water conservation.

(editor@dailyworld.in)