With an aim to conserve water and raise the underground water level, Government of India's Jal Shakti Abhiyaan was launched in Mansa today. Presiding over the maiden meeting of project at local Bachat Bhawan here today, the Mrs Anjali Bhawra Additional Secretary, Department of Cooperative Affairs, Government of India said that the main aim of project was to redress the declining underground water table as well as the quality of water.Deputy Commissioner Mansa Mrs Apneet Riyait, Mr KK Jhell deputy secretary, DEPWD Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and Mr Harbir Singh senior scientist Central Soil and Material Research Center were also present along with the officers of Mansa district administration.Elaborating on the main features of project and giving guidelines to achieve the set deadlines, Mrs Anjali Bhawra said that to conserve the water till every drop project will work on rain water harvesting, revival of traditional water bodies, renovation and repair of water storage structures, replenishing old borewells and intensive forestation. She took a stock of all the ongoing projects in Mansa district regarding water and forestation.ADC (D) Mr Gurmeet Singh Sidhu gave a presentation on district Mansa.
The visiting team was informed about the work undertaken on constructing 53 soak pits in the government schools in district, 74000 saplings planted in the year financial year 2018-19, 38 parks being constructed in villages on the land that former wastelands, works of intensive education being done through wall paintings etc in villages and cleaning of the irrigation water channels.Deputy Commissioner Mrs Apneet Riyait said thatall departments will be given targets to be achieved by Sep 15, 2019. The progress of these departments will be reviewed every week at the district administration level. Also the Government of India team will be holding regular meetings to monitor the work. She called upon everyone to work hard for the cause of saving every silver drop for future generation.SDM Mansa Mr Abhijit Kaplish, SDM Budhlada Mr Aaditya Dachalwal, SDM Sardulgarh Mr Latif Ahmed, DDPO Mr Dinesh Vashisht, officers from forest, irrigation, water supply and sanitation, MNREGA, drainage, animal husbandry, agriculture were also present.Meanwhile after the meeting the team visited village Kotra Kalan where it reviewed ongoing work of new irrigation channel, land development and irrigation pipeline. At village Bhaini Bagha, the team reviewed work of renovation of pond, park and forest department nursery. At village Khokhar Kalan they saw works of recharge well, park and lake. Similarly at village Aspal Kothe they reviewed works of individual as well as school soak pits and at village Moosa they took stock of soak pits being built under CSR and that of park