New Delhi, Oct 22 (IANS): President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday conferred the fifth National Water Awards in the national capital. The awards were presented to 38 winners in nine categories, including Best State, Best District, Best Village Panchayat, Best Urban Local Body, Best Water User Association and Best Civil Society.

Speaking on the occasion, President Murmu said that the government has provided tap water connections to over 78 per cent of rural households across the country under the Jal Jeevan Mission.

She highlighted the significant improvement in the lives of people, particularly in rural areas, after the launch of the Jal Jeevan Mission and said that when the flagship programme was launched in 2019, only 17 per cent of rural households had access to safe drinking water.

The National Water Awards are aimed at creating awareness among the people about the importance of water and to motivate them to adopt the best water usage practices.

President Murmu also underlined the role of state governments in water conservation and expressed concern over the depletion of the groundwater situation of the country.

She said that water is a basic necessity and a fundamental human right for every individual.

“A clean and prosperous society cannot be built without ensuring access to clean water. The unavailability of water and poor sanitation have a greater impact on the health, food security and livelihood of the underprivileged,” she said.

The President further noted that water conservation has been part of our tradition and underlined the need to retain the wisdom of ancestors.

“Our ancestors used to build ponds near villages. They used to build reservoirs in or near temples so that the stored water could be used in case of water shortage. Unfortunately, we are forgetting the wisdom of our ancestors. Some people have encroached upon reservoirs for personal gain. This not only affects the availability of water during drought but also creates flood-like situations when there is excessive rainfall,” she said.

The President said that the conservation and enhancement of water resources is the collective responsibility of all and added that without everyone’s active participation, it is not possible to build a water-secure India.

President Murmu further said that the National Water Awards is a commendable step towards promoting relevant approaches and actions towards water resources.

She expressed confidence that the "Best Practices" of the awardees would reach the masses through this event.