LAGATAR24 NETWORK
Dumka, March 30: Marking a landmark, the Godda district administration has been conferred with the national award for securing the second position in the category of best districts under the East zone for remarkable water conservation works undertaken in the district.
President of India Ramnath Kovind bestowed the national water awards upon respective district administrations in a function organised in New Delhi on Tuesday for their initiatives towards improving the groundwater level by introducing different schemes over the past few years.
Godda Deputy Commissioner Bhor Singh Yadav and SDO (Civil) jointly received the award from the President.
The national water awards were launched in the year 2018 by the union ministry of Jal Shakti with a view to encouraging the community to involve in such activities as to improve water conservation arrangements.
The event also marked the launching of the Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the rain campaign, 2022 by the President.
East Champaran district in Bihar has been bestowed upon the first rank in the district wise categorisation of the national water awards out of total 57 awards handed over in altogether 11 categories including best states, districts, rural and urban civic bodies, organisations and individuals.
The Godda deputy commissioner, however, attributed the award to all the stakeholders involved in various schemes introduced for the purpose said continuous efforts for water conservation being made in Godda for the last few years.
“Plantation of over one lakh saplings along the riverbanks of Kajhiya and Gerua rivers is the most remarkable initiative of the district administration that contributed to the conferring of the national award along with other steps such as restricting illegal sand mining and expansion of water conservation works,” the Godda deputy commissioner said, adding nearly 30 lakh plantations were ensured in the district through the MNREGA, forest department and other schemes.
30 lakh trees were planted in the district during the last five years under different afforestation schemes covering wide areas of different blocks of the district as part of the initiative to improve the water conservation facility, the deputy commissioner said.
He further said that works for storing 5000 crore litres of rainwater were undertaken through different schemes during the last five years with efforts being made to establish facilities for artificial groundwater recharge by the construction of soak pits, absorption trenches, rooftop and traditional water conservation by involving 203 water panchayats, 71 permanent farmers committees and 206 joint forest management and other community-based institutions.
