Senior Congress Leader and MLA Inderwal, G M Saroori today launched Integrated Watershed Management Programme in Block Kishtwar by laying the foundation of Entry Point Activities at village Kuriya (Thakrie) and held a road show cum public meeting at Keshwan. The IWMP Project for the Keshwan (Kish-13) & Pakalan (Kish-19) has been sanctioned at an estimated cost of Rs 901.95 lakhs.Saroori was accorded a rousing reception by the public on way to from Kuriya to Keshwan. People from various sections of society met Saroori and apprised him about day to day problems faced by them.
Saroori complimented the people of Thakrie, Kuriya, Sirgwari, Keshwan, Pakalan on getting this prestigious watershed Development project and enjoined upon the Panchayat representatives to extend their whole hearted support in implementing the project plan so that the objectives of rain harvesting conservation and socio-economic upliftment of the small and marginal farmers are met.He also exhorted upon the officers to work in close coordination to facilitate the execution of the project works in a convergence mode with MGNERGA, NBA and other schemes. He said this would help in creating dependable infrastructure to make various farming in the area a profitable activity.
Saroori said many more projects under IWMP are offing for Inderwal constituency. He appealed the people of the watershed areas to cooperate with Watershed Development Teams (WDT) in identifying the sites for undertaking water harvesting infrastructures while treating the catchment areas of a particular micro watershed. He also said CD block status has already been given to Thakrie and proposal for Tehsil status for Thakrie has already been submitted to state government.Project Manager Balbir Singh gave a detailed resume of the implementation of the Integrate Watershed Management Programme in the Kishtwar district. Earlier, in his welcome address, Project assistant Firdous Ahmed dwelt in detail on the activities being taken up under the IWMP Projects. He explained the features of the watershed Programme and said that the project will cover an area of nearly 6013 hectare in ten Panchayats. District Level technical expert Dr Nowsheen said that the WDT are conducting the base-line survey of all the villages falling under the project with the active participation of the Gram Sabhas and the process of constitution of Watershed Committees is underway in all the micro-watershed areas, he added.
Among those IWMP Junior Engineers including Suhail Mir, Abhinav, Zaheer Ahmed , officers of various departments, local Congress leaders, Sarpanchs, panchs besides a largely number of local people were present. People of Kuriya, Keshwan, Thakrie areas lauded the role of Saroori and department for sanctioning watershed project in the area and said the people of the area were facing water scarcity over the years adding that with the completion of this project, the same will be mitigated providing much relief to them.