Water conservation efforts in Coimbatore district under Jal Shakti Abhiyan reviewed

Additional Collector (Development) Sanket Balwant Waghe (second right) and Central Nodal Officer of Jal Shakti Abhiyan Rajalakshmi Devaraj (third left) with officials from Coimbatore at Masaorambhu stream at Madhvarayapuram on Monday. 
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

A two-day review of water conservation efforts in Coimbatore district under Ministry of Jal Shakti’s ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain’ campaign began on Monday.

Central Nodal Officer Rajalakshmi Devaraj, Additional Director General of Foreign Trade, reviewed the progress of various projects in the district in the presence of Additional Collector (Development) Sanket Balwant Waghe, senior officials from the District Rural Development Agency, Water Resources Department of the PWD, Forest Department and officials from civic bodies, including Coimbatore Corporation.

Ms. Devaraj reviewed works related to rejuvenation of water bodies, rainwater harvesting, and afforestation among others. She told The Hindu Coimbatore district had made improvements with reference to water conservation in the past three years.

According to her, initiatives under the Jal Shakti Abhiyan are to increase groundwater table and improve the condition of already available lakes and ponds. Efforts are also made to create structures for water conservation in the catchment areas.

Besides conserving and rejuvenating water bodies commendably, the district also achieved beyond the target performance in afforestation drive.

However, when the requirement of water was compared with the availability of water, the district had to improve furthermore, especially in the rural areas, she said.

Ms. Devaraj and officials visited three water rejuvenation projects undertaken by non-governmental organisation Siruthuli in the district, namely Masaorambhu stream at Madhvarayapuram, Karupparayan Kovil Stream and Uthuppallam. The team will conduct field visits on Tuesday.