Saving precious water resources need of the hour: Meet Hayer

Soil and Water Conservation minister reviews the work of the department

Chandigarh: In view of the deteriorating ground water scenario of the state, Soil and Water Conservation Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer while emphasizing the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s commitment towards the welfare of the farming community of the state and at the same time saving precious water resources, asked the department to chalk out new programmes and intensify ongoing water conservation and management works.

Meet Hayer stressed on maximizing canal water and treated water for usage in agriculture and expanding the underground pipeline programme to every nook and corner of the state. He called for initiating a mass movement for water management and conservation in the state by involving all the stakeholders and creating awareness at the grassroots level.

The Soil and Water Conservation minister reviewed the working of the Soil and Water Conservation Department in a meeting held at Punjab Bhawan, Chandigarh today.

While reviewing the watershed scheme of the department, Meet Hayer stressed on providing optimum benefit to landless farmers and women communities by providing them financial assistance through the creation of self help groups in the project areas. He also stressed upon ramping up work on the creation of rainwater harvesting structures and check dams in the context of the upcoming monsoon season.

The department officers made a presentation to the minister highlighting that the major thrust area of the department is increasing irrigation water use efficiency and developing alternate irrigation water sources for irrigation because more than 90% of the state’s water resources are being utilized in the agriculture sector alone. The major works of the department include an underground pipeline system, treated water for use in agriculture, drip and sprinkler systems, rainwater harvesting, and watershed based programmes among others.

The department’s proposed restructuring was also discussed during the meeting. The minister informed that a fresh recruitment drive will be undertaken upon finalization of this restructuring in the immediate future.

The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary Soil Conservation K.A.P. Sinha, Chief Conservator of Soils Mohinder Singh Saini.