Port Blair, Oct 01: The District Administration started the campaign “Catch The Rain” with the tagline “Catch the rain, where it falls, when it falls” under The National Water Mission.
Under this campaign a workshop was conducted on Rain Water Harvesting Structures (RWHS) in the presence of Shri Lakshay Singhal, AC (U/T) along with Pradhan, District Officials and Civil Society organization members in Bambooflat. The objective of the workshop was to rope in key stake-holders to create appropriate RWHS suitable to the local climatic conditions and sub-soil strata before onset of monsoon.
As a part of this campaign, drives to make check dams, water harvesting pits, rooftop RWHS etc; and de-silting of tanks/ponds to increase their storage capacity; removal of obstructions in the channels which bring water from the catchment areas etc.; repairs to step-wells and using defunct bore-wells and unused wells to put water back to aquifers etc. are to be taken up with the active participation of public at large.
The AC(U/T) further informed that efforts are being made so that all buildings in the district should have rooftop RWHS and that maximum quantity of rain water falling in any compound should be impounded within the compound itself. The basic aim should be that No or only limited water should flow out of the compound. This will help in improving soil moisture and raising ground water table.
The speakers on this occasion motivated the residents regarding the importance of cost effective RWHS and the same is the top priority of the Administration which would augment the water conservation/preservation measures.
It was further informed that in case of any technical assistance required to set up cost effective RWHS at their homes, the District Administration is ready to provide all kind of technical support.