NATIONAL WATER AWARDS 2018: LUDHIANA AWARDED FOR ITS EFFORTS IN REJUVENATION OF WATER BODIES & WATER CONSERVATION

It is pertinent to mention that Ludhiana has been chosen and awarded amongst the best districts in the country, and is the only district from Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh region to be so recognised.

The trophy and citation were awarded today at the Prize Distribution Ceremony of National Water Awards 2018 by Mr Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister, Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Road Transport, Highways & Shipping at a grand event organised by the Ministry of Water Resources, Govt of India.

In view of the importance of water resources management in India, the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has instituted National Water Awards with the objective to encourage all stakeholders to manage their water resources efficiently and create a water consciousness in the country. At the national level, best districts are being recognised for their work in water management.

ADC (D) Dr Shena Aggarwal informed that Ludhiana district administration has been taking various steps for pond renovation and rejuvenation of water bodies in an attempt to preserve our water resources. She said that in the past two years, nearly 600 traditional water bodies have been renovated and rest are in process. Many different technologies and innovative methods for the treatment of waste water have been used as per the need of the area, like waste stabilisation technology of creation of partitions in large ponds for natural methods of water treatment, treating water using various machines and using oxidation and biological processed as well.

She informed that the renovation of village ponds has a positive effect on environment, rural economy and ground water conservation in declining water table areas. It has been main endeavour to use the treated and cleaned water for irrigation purposes, giving it an outlet towards the farm area. In some areas, even solar energy is being used to pump the treated water and use it for irrigation purposes. Some notable examples are villages Issewal in block Sidhwan Bet, Bhaini Garhi in block Ludhiana-2, and Swaddi Kalan in block Sidwan Bet, amongst others. Trees are being planted on the periphery of ponds and parks and other amusement places are being developed nearby to these ponds. Village Rania of block Ludhiana-1 and village Chakkar in block Jagraon are good examples of it. Fishing is promoted as a major economic activity in the clean waters, which has increased the source of income of village and can be a source of livelihood. Overall this practice has made the lives of villagers more happy and prosperous. Efforts are now being made to replicate these success stories and to implement it in every village of Ludhiana.