Public urged to care for water bodies

Patancheru: The Central government's Jalashakti Abhiyan team director Krishna Kishore Govindrajulu has called upon people to ensure protection of water bodies as their responsibility in view of possible drought and depleting groundwater levels.

Govindrajulu was speaking on Saturday after the team toured drought mandals of Ameenpur and Patancheru. He inspected Pedda Cheruvu in Ameenpur and water bodies in Chinnakanjarla and was surprised by the Peddacheruvu, which is spread over 93 acres, as it resembles a mini-reservoir. He said it was everyone's responsibility to protect such water bodies.

The study team director expressed anguish over depleting water bodies which could face a threat in future. He pointed out that deficit rainfall was being recorded because of the changes in the atmosphere. The team undertook a study of protection of water sources in the district during its three-day tour. It expressed satisfaction over the efforts being made by the district administration to protect water bodies, including holding of awareness programmes under Haritha Haram.

Govindrajulu stated that protection of water bodies should be taken up as a social responsibility. "If the protection programmes are taken up on a war-footing there could a changes in their status in the coming years. It not, he warned, there could be a danger of their deterioration." He said the Abhiyan was planning to take up development programmes in coordination with the State government in villages that have a few water resources by creating public awareness.

Speaking at Peddacheruvu, Govindrajulu stated that every rain drop should be saved, as groundwater level would get a boost. Otherwise, flow from water bodies could go waste by getting mixed in sea. Hence, there was a need for creating public awareness on the need for rain water harvesting pits in villages. He noted that there were only 50 RWH pits as against 300 houses in the village. He called for sinking of mini-RWH pits in farm lands, which could recharge agriculture wells and bore-wells.

Mandal MPDO Anant Reddy handed over to the team details of the repairs, desilting works, restoration of check dams under the Mission Kakatiya scheme in Patancheru and Ameenpur mandals. He also explained the tree plantation drive launched by the district collector on a large scale in villages.

DRDA project officers Srinivas Rao and Srinivas, Tahsildar Swamy, Ameenpur Municipal Commissioner Vema Reddy and others accompanied the team.