PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
Secretary of Water Resources and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Spring and River Rejuvenation Authority (SARRA), Dilip Jawalkar directed officials to provide training for the technical teams of relevant linear departments involved in SARRA. This training aims to ensure that projects are implemented scientifically and effectively. He issued this direction while chairing the fourth meeting of the State Level Executive Committee (SLEC) here on Tuesday. Importantly, as part of the efforts towards water conservation and river rejuvenation, a total of three action plans were approved, with a total cost of Rs 382.26 lakh during the meeting. The approved projects include a work plan worth Rs 207.56 lakh for groundwater aquifer recharge in Nainital and Udham Singh Nagar districts. Additionally, a project worth Rs 174.70 lakh for the rejuvenation of the Chandrabhaga River in Chamoli district also received approval.
Further, Jawalkar instructed officials to send documentation of all district programmes organised in honour of the State’s silver jubilee to the administration as soon as possible. He emphasised the need for all line departments involved in water resources and river rejuvenation to collaborate effectively. He also urged that SARRA committees meet at the district level to present proposals at the next meeting. Local community participation in water conservation efforts must be ensured, and stream protection committees should be formed at the village panchayat level to conduct local monitoring, he added.
He said that all the districts were instructed to prioritise watershed-related work in their action plans, which are being developed under the principle of “One District, One River”. The goal is to optimise rainwater conservation and enhancement.
Jawalkar also directed the immediate identification of traditional streams and canals, which are invaluable parts of the state’s heritage, for revival efforts. He stated that training for parahydrologists should be conducted at the local and village levels within the catchment areas of approved projects, in line with the One District, One River principle, to promote local expertise in water management. Emphasis was placed on capacity building and organising workshops to ensure greater public participation in the projects.
The additional CEO Kehkasha Naseem provided a detailed presentation of action plans costing over Rs one crore. Naseem emphasised that all linear departments should collaborate on a watershed area to achieve sustainable revival in those regions.
