Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has appealed to the people not to waste a single drop of water but to use the best possible techniques to save this fast-depleting natural resource that is essential for the survival of humanity. In his Water Day message, the Chief Minister emphasized the importance of water conservation by every individual for their own subsistence, as well as the sustenance of the state. Pointing out that water had been the root cause of many wars around the world, and had been the main trigger for the eruption of militancy in Punjab, Captain Amarinder expressed concern at the depleting water table in the state, where 110 of the total 138 water blocks had become `dark’ due to excessive water exploitation to sustain agriculture. As many as 45 of these blocks had been declared `critical’ by the central government, he pointed out, underlining the need to formulate a comprehensive national policy on water conservation.
The growing strain on water had rendered large chunks of land in Punjab uncultivable and arid, the Chief Minister said in his message, while seeking the cooperation of all the people in ensuring that there is no further wastage of this precious commodity. Captain Amarinder said his government was committed to providing easy access to safe drinking water to every person in Punjab, particularly in the water-deprived rural parts of Majha. He directed the concerned departments in the government to adopt water conservation techniques, including water harvesting, change in crop patterns and deployment of more intensive water-saving technologies, to augment water availability in the region, and the state as a whole. The Chief Minister also asked the concerned officials to create awareness among farmers about the best irrigation practices needed to conserve water. His government would also initiate measures to involve the various district and village bodies in the state in taking the water conservation campaign forward, said Captain Amarinder, adding that policy-level changes would be made where required to address the state’s water problem.