DIPR
Imphal : Water is life and we cannot survive without water, Chief Minister N. Biren Singh said while addressing the World Water Day observance and further urged the people to understand the importance of water.
A State Level Awareness Campaign on “World Water Day 2023” under the theme Accelerating Change was organised by the Public Health Engineering Department at Khuman Lampak on Wednesday.
The Chief Minister also flagged off a Bike Rally on Water Conservation as part of the campaign. The rally concluded at Sendra, Bishnupur.
Speaking as the Chief Guest of the observance, the Chief Minister stressed that forest and trees are integral to the water cycle and that the government has been laying emphasis on Green Mission Manipur since the beginning of the previous term.
The call to preserve and conserve reserved forest and protected forest area is for the people, especially those living nearest to the forest cover, he said, adding that these people should protect the forest covers.
The Chief Minister also expressed his desire for engineers and officials of PHE, Water Resources and Forest to organise rallies in the hills where there are massive deforestation and to create awareness among the villagers on the importance of trees and to create a sense of ownership for the forest covers
amongst them.
Further urging the people to use water wisely, the Chief Minister said that the government is also putting efforts to provide sufficient water to the people. He said that during the recent lean period, the government brought water from Thoubal Project and created a reservoir at the Chingkhei Ching water treatment plant and created filling points at Khuman Lampak.
Civilisation is not just infrastructural development, but also people having civic sense, he said, urging the people against polluting river water by washing clothes in the river or leaking septic tanks into the river.
Biren also elaborated on the impact of illegal drugs in the society. He highlighted the need to identify addicts and for local clubs and organisations to offer proper counselling and care without any victimisation or humiliation to the families with addicts to encourage their recovery.
Speaking on Har Ghar Jal Mission, the Chief Minister said almost 75 percent of laying of pipes has been completed but it is no use if there is no water source.
He further encouraged the people to plant more trees and develop small tree covers in the valley areas also. Highlighting filling of ponds and other water bodies to construct community halls, the Chief Minister urged the people against filing up of water bodies.
The Chief Minister said the government is seeking to rejuvenate Lamphelpat and other water bodies and to preserve and protect Lotak Lake.
The observance function was also attended by PHE Minister L Susindro Meitei, Textiles, Commerce and Industries Minister Nemcha Kipgen, Water Resources Minister Awangbow Newmai, Transport Minister Kashim Vashum, MLAs Th Arunkumar Singh, Leishiyo Keishing, Sapam Kunjakeswor Singh, Khongbantabam Ibomcha among others.
