Jhansi: Emphasising the importance of water conservation for future generations, Jal Shakti Minister Swatantra Dev Singh on Saturday participated in a ‘Jal Arpan’ programme in Baral village of Chirgaon block in Jhansi district and formally handed over the operation and maintenance responsibility of a completed Jal Jeevan Mission scheme to the village gram panchayat.Despite heavy rainfall, the minister visited both Baral and Bhujaond villages and interacted with local residents.The programme was organised as part of the state govt’s initiative to transfer completed rural drinking water schemes to local bodies while simultaneously creating awareness about water conservation among villagers.Addressing the gathering at Baral, Singh said conserving water today is essential for securing the future of coming generations. He said that while the government has provided piped drinking water connections to rural households under the Jal Jeevan Mission, local communities must now ensure judicious use of water and protection of available water resources.During the programme, Singh administered a water conservation pledge to villagers and urged them to actively participate in protecting groundwater and other water sources.Garotha MLA Jawahar Lal Rajput, additional chief secretary of Namami Gange and Rural Water Supply Department Anurag Srivastava, and Jhansi DM Gaurang Rathi were among the officials present.Earlier in the day, the minister attended a groundwater recharge seminar organised by the State Mission for Clean Ganga in Jhansi. Addressing the seminar, he called for greater public participation in groundwater conservation and highlighted the government’s efforts for river rejuvenation across Uttar Pradesh. He also felicitated Jal Sahelis for their contribution to water conservation and community awareness campaigns.Speaking to reporters after the seminar, Singh claimed that groundwater levels in the state had increased considerably due to sustained conservation efforts. He said that many taps did not run dry during the summer because of the improved groundwater table.Citing official figures, Singh said the groundwater level has improved due to the construction of 58,664 farm ponds with tree plantations along their boundaries, installation of rooftop rainwater harvesting systems in 35,206 government offices, and construction of 6,000 check dams, which together have helped conserve nearly 10,000 crore litres of water.
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