‘Mor Gaon Mor Pani’ Campaign Turns into a Mass Movement

A Historic Step Towards Water Conservation in Balrampur

Raipur : The “Mor Gaon Mor Pani” (My Village, My Water) campaign in Balrampur district, Chhattisgarh, has transformed into a people’s movement, marking a historic initiative in the field of water conservation. With active community participation and voluntary labor (shramdaan), the district has successfully constructed 1,22,455 soak pits—exceeding the initial target of 1,20,000. This remarkable achievement stands as a testimony to strong administrative leadership and public involvement.

Launched as a district administration initiative, the campaign soon evolved beyond bureaucratic effort into a grassroots movement. Under the guidance of the District Collector and active supervision of the District Panchayat CEO, the campaign reached every gram panchayat. The CEO personally visited several villages, inspected ongoing construction work, interacted with villagers, motivated them, and even participated in the labor herself, setting a powerful example.

What makes the campaign truly unique is its entirely manual execution—no machinery was used. Villagers dug soak pits with their own hands, using locally available materials such as stones, broken bricks, and sand. Beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and women from self-help groups enthusiastically joined the effort.

To spread awareness, walls in villages were painted with water conservation slogans like “Save Rainwater, Raise the Groundwater Level,” and banners and posters helped promote the mission widely.

This initiative is being seen not only as an immediate response to the water crisis but also as a sustainable step towards long-term improvement in groundwater levels—a true example of community-driven environmental stewardship.