India needs traditional methods of ‘water conservation’ to meet future requirement: President Murmu

New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday said that there is need of the traditional methods of water management and water-harvesting in India to meet the water requirements.

“Today we are more dependent on institutional means for water supply than traditional means” President said, while launching the Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch The Rain -2023 here.

Stressing on the need of water conservation and water management, the President said that, “it is a well-known fact that in our country, water resources are limited and its distribution is also uneven”

“About 18 percent of the world’s population resides in India, but only 4 percent of the world’s water resources are available here. Moreover, most of this water is received in the form of rain, which drains into rivers and seas. That’s why water conservation and its management is a very important topic for us” she said.

“Along with using modern techniques for sustainable water supply, revival of the traditional methods of water management and water-harvesting is the need of the hour” The President said.

She also asked all stakeholders to work together for water conservation and its management.

“We need to make this effort not only for ourselves but also for the healthy and safe future of our coming generations” she added.

Talking about the role of women in water conservation, President said that water and sanitation hold a special place in the life of every citizen and these issues affect women the most.

“Arranging for drinking water not only took a lot of their time but also put their safety and health at risk… adding that school going girls were also engaged in arranging water along with their elders, which hindered their studies”.

Lauding the initiatives of “Jal Jeevan Mission and Swachh Bharat Mission” She said today more than 11.3 crore households are getting potable water from the tap”

“Clean tap water has also shown significant improvement in the health of infants who used to fall prey to water-borne diseases like diarrhea and dysentery due to polluted water” she said.

The President was happy to note that about two lakh villages in the country have declared themselves as ODF plus villages.

She said that it means that these villages have solid and liquid waste management systems in place. She emphasized on the need for proper and environment-friendly management of household wastes.

“We should have a system in which most of the waste-materials is recycled; liquid wastes cannot contaminate underground water; and we can make manure from the left-over wastes” she said.

The President said that making India a ‘clean nation’ is not only the responsibility of the government, but the collective responsibility of all citizens.

Recognising the roles of the women in water conservation and sanitation, the President also  conferred the ‘Swachh Sujal Shakti Samman 2023’, under various categories of the Swachh Bharat Mission – Grameen, Jal Jeevan Mission and National Water Mission.

The awards were given to acknowledge the leadership and contribution of women of grassroot level in the journey towards making of a Swach Sujal Bharat.

On the occasion, She also launched a video on ‘Jal Shakti se Nari Shakti’ and a commemorative stamp. The President released ‘Swachh Sujal Shakti Ki Abhivyakti’, which is a compendium of case stories from Swachh Bharat Mission – Grameen, Jal Jeevan Mission and National Water Mission.

Addressing the gathering Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat emphasized and praised the efforts of women for their trailblazing efforts and time they have put to give water conservation and sanitation a whole new meaning.

“Under the visionary leadership and insight of our PM, our nation has achieved a pathbreaking success under Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch The Rain. The Amritkaal is a true revolution in the field of water and has strengthened the vision of water conservation and water-secure nation” he said.

“The struggle of rural women to fetch water were brought to end with the launch of Jal Jeevan Mission” he said.