Jalanidhi to replenish groundwater table

Suryapet: Shifting the focus to water conservation, Energy Minister G Jagadish Reddy asked people in the district to set up rainwater harvesting pits and dug up trenches to increase the depleting groundwater table.

On Monday, the Minister along with Collector Surendra Mohan and Retired Engineers Association president Shyam Sunder Reddy launched Jalanidhi programme at Ramannagudem of Suryapet mandal and participated in an awareness meet conducted at Burkapitta Thanda of Gandhinagar Gram Panchayat.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister said though copious rains last year had replenished the groundwater table considerably, the water drawn through borewells for the cultivation of paddy, cotton and chilies on large tracks of land had brought the issue to square one.

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HIGHLIGHTS:

• Suryapet launches the water conservation programme in eight villages on pilot basis; to extend to 100 villages in near future
• Rain harvesting pits and trenches will be dug as part of the programme
• Govt includes digging works under NREGA to provide employment to farmers

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Informing that digging trenches in farm lands was also included in government's Jalanidhi programme, Jagadish said trench works would be included under NREGA for the benefit of farmers.

Informing that eight villages Ramannagudem, Gandhi Nagar, Macharam, Bhaktalapuram, Chandupatla, Tummalapenphad, Athmakur(s) and VK Pahad villages have been included under pilot project of Jalanidhi programme, the Energy Minister said a special officer would be appointed to oversee the works in the said villages. He further added that the programme would be extended to 100 villages by the end of 2017.

Asking farmers, public representatives and officials to actively take part in the conservation programme, he stated that government flagship programme Mission Kakatiya raised the water table in the villages to some extent. The Minister further underlined the need to improve the forest cover in the district from existing five per cent to 33.

In this regard, Jagadish requested farmers not to dig new bores instead focus on water conservation and water management by digging harvesting pits and trenches.

On the day, the Minister distributed job cards and medical kits to new members of NREGA. Market Committee Chairman Y Venkateshwarlu, MPP Janaiah, RDO Mohanrao, DRDO Kiran Kumar, several local body representatives and others participated in the programme.