Catch the Rain campaign in rainfall excess state
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: March 31, 2022 -

IN many of the mainland states, where temperatures during the summer season reach searing level, drought-like situation has been chronically common and monsoon season don't last long, successful implementation of the Catch the Rain campaign under the Jal Shakti Abhiyan and fruition of the campaign launched on Tuesday would definitely bring tremendous changes to the worsening environmental condition.

Under the campaign, the Union government emphasises on construction and proper maintenance of community ponds, wells and other water bodies with priority on putting in place rain water harvesting mechanism wherever feasible.

However, in a state like Manipur which falls under the high intensity rainfall area it is desired that the government authorities initiate steps to discourage the people, especially in the hills, from afforestation activities and to put the abundantly available ground water to good use, in both agricultural and consumption purposes.

For the record, a similar campaign was launched nationwide around the same time last year with the tagline 'catch the rain, where it falls, when it falls', which was interestingly preceded by another campaign few years back under the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi following a meeting with NITI Aayog officials.

All these campaigns are aimed at conserving maximum quantum of harvested rain water but the problem of shortage of water is getting grimmer with each passing year coupled with adverse climate change disturbing the rainfall volume and cycle.

As such the latest campaign must be implemented in the most vigorous manner as fruition of the programme will surely inspire the public to join the movement and stock rainwater to the optimum.

During launch of the 'Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain' campaign via video conferencing, that covered all district headquarters, sub-divisional offices and Gram Panchayat offices, PM Modi advised the state governments to utilise MGNREGA fund on conservation of rain water, thereby signifying that shortage of fund can't be an excuse for project-implementing agencies or officials in case of non-materialisation of the PM's vision to see the country overcome the perennial crisis arising out shortage of water.

Fortunately, for Manipur the water crisis is still not severe as the dry spell lasts barely one or two months, that too with intermittent off-season rainfall.

Nevertheless, it is of serious concern that maximum quantity of rain water in the state gets wasted thus necessitating effective harvesting of rain water as well as putting the available ground to optimum use.

Contrary to some mainland states where projects to replenish the ground water stock are being accorded importance, here in Manipur there are no projects for effective usage of the existing ground water.

As such schemes for transformation of the state to a water-sufficient one and fuel the developmental aspirations shall have to be prioritised.

Barring some hill areas, where sources of potable water run dry every year during the lean season, the main problem directly associated with shortage of water across the state is in the agriculture sector.

Therefore, it is high time that officials of departments concerned chalk up policies to sustainably tap the huge potential of ground water rather than try to find excuses whenever civil societies and farmers' bodies question their competency over majority of the paddy fields laying barren after harvest of single crop per year in rainfall abundant Manipur.