Residents urged to use water judiciously at special gram sabha in Madurai
The Hindu
On account of World Water Day, which is observed every year on March 22 since 1993, special gram sabhas were held in all village panchayats in Madurai district. The World Water Day is observed in order to create an awareness on the importance of water conservation and sanitation. Collector S. Aneesh Sekhar presided over a special gram sabha in Alathur panchayat in the Madurai West Panchayat Union. Speaking on the occasion, he told the residents about the importance of conservation of water. He said that one of the important responsibilities of the government and local administration was to ensure drinking water facilities to all since it was one of the basic needs of the people.
On account of World Water Day, which is observed every year on March 22 since 1993, special gram sabhas were held in all village panchayats in Madurai district. The World Water Day is observed in order to create an awareness on the importance of water conservation and sanitation.
Collector S. Aneesh Sekhar presided over a special gram sabha in Alathur panchayat in the Madurai West Panchayat Union. Speaking on the occasion, he told the residents about the importance of conservation of water. He said that one of the important responsibilities of the government and local administration was to ensure drinking water facilities to all since it was one of the basic needs of the people.
At the same time, people should use water judiciously and ensure that water does not go waste, the Madurai Collector said. He told the residents about the importance of rainwater harvesting and the need to conserve water. “People should take steps to ensure that contaminated water is not let into waterbodies and it is the duty of the people and the authorities to conserve water”, he said.
Youth who participated in the special gram sabha urged the Collector to take necessary steps to establish a library for the benefit of students in Alathur. After discussions were held over the effective implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, the Collector assured that more projects would be taken up in order to provide employment under the scheme.
A medical camp was also conducted during the special gram sabha. An awareness programme was held on the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme. Taking into account that 2023 was declared as the International Year of Millets, millet samples were on display at Alathur panchayat in order to create an awareness on the importance of millets and the benefits of millet consumption.
In 2021, five women from Mayithara, four of them MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) workers, found a common ground in their desire to create a sustainable livelihood by growing vegetables. Rajamma M., Mary Varkey, Valsala L., Elisho S., and Praseeda Sumesh, aged between 70 and 39, pooled their savings, rented a piece of land and began their collective vegetable farming journey under the Deepam Krishi group.