ANNOUNCES TO EXAMINE FEASIBILITY TO REPLICATE TELANGANA MODEL FOR CONSERVATION AND RECHARGING OF WATER TABLE
Hyderabad, February 16-
Taking a major leap forward for checking the depleting ground water table in the state, the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann today announced to explore the feasibility to replicate Telangana model for the conservation of this precious natural resource and recharging the water table in the state.
The Chief Minister, who along with the officers of the Irrigation department, analyzed the Telangana model of water conservation here, said that it is a revolutionary model that is aimed at recharging the water table holistically. He said that the Telangana government has constructed small dams in the villages for conserving the ground water across the state. Bhagwant Mann said that as a result of this the ground water level has increased upto two metres in the villages.
The Chief Minister said that need of the hour is to channelise canal water in Punjab for saving the ground water for the coming generations. He said that the sole motive of examining this model is to check the depletion of ground water level for the sake of future generations. Bhagwant Mann also took an insightful view of new techniques about saving rapidly decreasing ground water during his visit to dams and lauded this new and unique way to save the water on one hand and to increase the level of ground water on the other.
The Chief Minister pointed out that Telangana has transformed its entire irrigation system by raising the groundwater level with the help of this multi-pronged strategy. He said that the efforts include restoration of Minor Irrigation Tanks (MIT), linking of other major and medium projects with MI tanks and construction of artificial recharge structures such as check dams, percolation tanks, recharge shafts and others. Bhagwant Mann added that precious groundwater resources must be optimally used for the welfare and prosperity of our farmers adding that the viability of this system will be explored in the state in consultation with experts of Telangana.
The Chief Minister said that due to over exploitation of the groundwater in the state, the water table is swiftly depleting across Punjab. He bemoaned that more than 78% of our 150 blocks are in extreme dark zones due to depletion of the groundwater table. However, Bhagwant Mann expressed hope that through such revolutionary methods Punjab will be able to recharge its groundwater very soon.
