The Vice-President appeals to citizens to make water conservation integral part of daily lives, says Jan Andolan will accelerate Jal Andolan

The Vice-President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar today appealed to all citizens to make conservation of water an integral aspect of their daily lives, so that the spirit of Jan Andolan can accelerate the cause of Jal Andolan.

During his address at the 4^th National Water Awards at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi today, the Vice-President also called for reinvigorating our traditional water harvesting structures such as johads (ponds) through renewed commitment to the “3Rs of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.”

Congratulating the winners for their exemplary work in the field of water resources management, the Vice-President called upon all public representatives at the Panchayat, State and National level to make water conservation a priority and lead by example.

Drawing attention to Constitutional provisions such as the Directive Principles of State Policy and the Fundamental Duties that emphasize on the conservation of water and environment, the Vice-President highlighted the transformational impact that Government initiatives such as Jal Jeevan Mission are having on the lives of ordinary citizens.

Noting that conservation of water has always been an inalienable facet of India’s civilizational ethos, the Vice-President said that it is the responsibility of every citizen to ensure the wise use of nature’s gifts. “Natural resources utilisation has to be as per our optimum necessity,” he stressed.

At the 4^th National Water Awards Ceremony, which was inaugurated by the Vice-President by a symbolic Jal Kalash ceremony, 41 winners were felicitated across 11 categories.

The Vice-President also inaugurated a short film featuring the animated character Piku, the mascot of the National Water Mission, to be telecast on Doordarshan for amplifying the message of water conservation.

Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Shri Prahlad Singh Patel, Minister of State for Jal Shakti and Food Processing Industries, Shri Bishweswar Tudu, Minister of State for Jal Shakti and Tribal Affairs, Shri Pankaj Kumar, Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, and other senior officers from the Ministry of Jal Shakti were also present on the occasion.

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MS/RK/RC