Gujarat Chief Minister Vijaybhai Rupani said that a Statewide campaign ‘Sujalam Sufalam Jal Abhiyan - 2018’ will be launched during the Gujarat Foundation Day on May 1, which aims at involving people in water conservation.

Addressing a Press conference, Rupani said that the campaign intended to build ‘Powerful Gujarat’ which would pave a way for the nation to follow. The campaign is aimed at connecting Jan Shakti (People Power) with Jal Shakti (Water Power) that would turn into festival, the Chief Minister added.

“Saving water is saving life,” he said adding that during the monthlong campaign starting from Tuesday at Bharuch the State Government would take forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiative of water conservation in the State which he had taken when he was Gujarat Chief Minister.

“As part of the mission more than 13,000 lakes across the State would be deepened, de-silting work of canals and check-dams and 32 rivers too will be rejuvenated during the period. We have made commitment to conserve rain water worth 11,000 lakh cubic feet water during coming monsoon through the mission. Total more than 10,570 works related to water conservation would be completed,” said CM Rupani.

Meanwhile Deputy CM Nitin Patel informed that the campaign would commence lake deepening works at Kosamdi village of Ankleshwar taluka in Bharuch district. As a part of the campaign, the members of council of ministers, union ministers, chairmen of boards’ and nigams’, MPs, and other dignitaries would launch the water works programmes in various parts of the state.

During this period over 4,000 JCB Hitachi and Pokland, and over 8,000 tractors and dumpers would also be pressed into the service. This would be covering all the 33 districts of the State with deepening of 6,260 lakes and check-dams, construction of 886 check-dams, 567 Pala (earthen walls), gabion walls and others. For the proper implementation of the entire campaign, a state level committee has been formed, under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary. The committee would make time to time reviews of the entire campaign.

The state level Gujarat Foundation Day function will be held at Bharuch on May 1 in the presence of governor O P Kohli and chief minister Vijay Rupani. Every year Gujarat Foundation Day is celebrated in different districts. Rupani will also join ‘Clean Narmada’ campaign at Shukla pilgrimage near Bharuch and also plant trees on the banks of river Narmada.