Groundwater Conservation Mission Will Be a Milestone in Water Conservation – CM Vishnu Deo Sai

Chief Minister Launches Groundwater Conservation Mission to Promote Sustainable Urban Water Management

Raipur : Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai today launched the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Groundwater Conservation Mission (Urban), marking a significant step towards sustainable water management in urban areas. Under this mission, all urban local bodies in the state will undertake focused efforts to conserve groundwater and rainwater in a mission-driven mode. During the inauguration event held at Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Auditorium in Raipur, the Chief Minister released the mission brochure and launched an awareness video. He also handed over compassionate appointment letters to the families of 18 municipal employees who passed away during service in nine urban bodies.

Deputy Chief Minister and Urban Administration & Development Minister Shri Arun Sao, Water Resources Minister and Raipur District In-charge Minister Shri Kedar Kashyap, MLAs Rajesh Munat, Sunil Soni, Moti Lal Sahu, Purandar Mishra, Guru Khushwant Saheb, Indra Kumar Sahu, Mayor of Raipur Municipal Corporation Smt. Meenal Chaubey, and renowned water conservationist “Waterman of India” Shri Rajendra Singh were present as special guests.

As part of the mission launch, a workshop was organized where hydrologists, colonizers, industrial groups, and officials from the Forest, Public Works, Public Health Engineering, and Water Resources Departments deliberated on water conservation strategies and their expected outcomes. Shri Arun Sao and Shri Rajendra Singh shared their insights and answered participants’ queries. The Surat Municipal Corporation team from Gujarat presented their rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge models.

Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai emphasized that life is unimaginable without water, and this ambitious mission has been launched to address water scarcity concerns. He expressed hope that the mission will become a milestone in conserving and augmenting both rainwater and groundwater in urban areas. He extended his appreciation to Deputy CM Arun Sao and the Urban Administration Department for initiating this program.

Shri Sai highlighted that multiple initiatives are already underway to address water conservation, including the “Mor Gaon Mor Pani” campaign led by the Panchayat and Rural Development Department with active community participation. He noted that while the approaches differ, the objective remains the same. In response to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s call, the creation of Amrit Sarovars (sacred ponds) and the rejuvenation of old water bodies are being carried out nationwide. The Chief Minister stressed the urgency of being conscious and careful about water usage, warning that negligence today could result in serious water crises in the future.

Deputy CM Shri Arun Sao noted that the workshop involved four hours of in-depth discussion on rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge, guided by experts like Shri Rajendra Singh and the Surat team. Key suggestions included integrating water conservation topics into school curricula and aligning cropping patterns with rainfall trends. He underlined the need to ensure reliable urban water supplies for drinking and other uses, and said this mission is a timely response to future water challenges. He added that Chhattisgarh receives sufficient rainfall and, if harvested and managed wisely, water shortages can be effectively addressed.

Water Resources Minister Shri Kedar Kashyap expressed confidence that exemplary work would be done under the mission. He remarked that under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai, Chhattisgarh has gained national recognition for community-led water conservation efforts. Stressing the critical importance of water, he called for serious attention towards recharging and replenishing water sources, assuring that his department is actively committed to this cause.

The event saw the participation of Dr. Basavaraju S., Secretary, Urban Administration and Development Department; Director Mr. R. Ekka; SUDA CEO Mr. Shashank Pandey; mayors, chairpersons, and commissioners of all municipal corporations; heads and CMs of municipal councils and nagar panchayats; municipal engineers; water experts; civil society representatives; and a large number of departmental officials and stakeholders.