Pics: Janardhan Kodavoor

Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB)

Udupi, Aug 7: A review meeting was held on the issue of adopting rainwater harvesting methods in every household in the district in order to affectively tackle water shortage during summer season. Deputy commissioner (DC) of the district, Hephsibha Rani Korlapati, speaking at the rain water harvesting awareness programme, who referred to the above meeting, exhorted people of the district to put to use various methods of rainwater harvesting system which she said will come in handy to them when the rain recedes and water table slumps in summer.

Sri Isha Vittaldasa Swamiji of Kemaru Math inaugurated ' Neeru Adu Munna,' an awareness programme held at Atal Bihari Vajpayee auditorium, DC office Manipal here on Tuesday August 6.

The programme was organized by Karnataka Journalists Union, Udupi in association with Udupi district administration, zilla panchayat and Nirmithi Kendra.

The DC further said that the panchayat development officers all along the district have been strictly instructed to scrutinize every building plan and make sure that rainwater harvesting measures have been adopted before issuing completion certificates to them.

She noted that despite experiencing heavy rains in the district, water scarcity crops up during summer. Therefore, the district administration is raising awareness through the water supply department of the city municipal council, as well as agricultural, horticultural, and forest department in order to raise underground water level, she stated. "This year, we are educating the general public about the importance of conservation and recharging of ground water under the 'Jalamritha' and 'Jalashakti' campaigns which have been brought into force all over the state," she added.

"Drilling of more and more borewells than what is needed is observed. This is not the right thing. Everyone should be involved with the thought of water conservation. A workshop will be conducted through the 'Nirmithi Kendra' for the construction engineers, contractors and plumbers in the district," she said.

Dinakar Babu, president of the zilla panchayat here, said that all the gram panchayats, town panchayats, zilla panchayats, taluk panchayats etc, have been instructed to organize water conservation programmes. He also asked the officials and members to provide information about government facilities to the people under this head. Various organizations and associations can play a major role in water conservation and development of forestry, he felt.

Chief executive officer of the zilla panchayat, Sindhu B Rupesh, said, "drinking water is the first priority of the local administration. Panchayat development officers have been briefed on their work in the matter of water supply and water conservation. Every panchayat in the district has already been mandated to install rainwater harvesting systems in their building first. So it can work to motivate others to follow suit. Such systems are being brought to the notice of the people with the purpose of encouraging them to resort to rainwater harvesting methods voluntarily," she stated.

Speaking after the inauguration of the programme, in his benedictory address, Isha Vithaladasa Swamiji said, "everyone needs nature, and therefore it must be conserved and cultivated. The major cause for the proliferation of diseases now is the withdrawal from agricultural profession. Buildings are coming up in agricultural lands. As a result, the groundwater level is decreasing at an alarming rate. Citizens must move towards adopting agriculture as their profession. In order to encourage forestry, tree planting competitions should be widely conducted, instead of wasting money in conducting unwarranted and unnecessary competitions," he opined.

President of the State Journalists Union, Narayan said, 'journalists are playing an important role in raising social awareness. Journalists must have social commitment. Several projects have been launched by the Journalists’ Union for sustainable water conservation, he explained. He hoped to educate emerging journalists who are joining journalism by adopting it as their profession, to get properly educated on methods of saving the environment.

Sheela K Shetty, vice president, zilla panchayat, Babu Shetty, chairman, standing committee, Shashidhar Hemmanna, president, State Journalists Union Udupi unit, Srinivas Rao, chief planning officer, Arun Kumar, and project director, Nirmithi Kendra, were present.

Prof Balakrishna Muddody held interaction programme on this occasion.

Prizes were handed over to the winners of the essay competition.

Astro Mohan, senior photo journalist, delivered keynote address.

Janardhana Kodavoor extended welcome and Vasudev Bhat compered the programme.