At the National Water Awards 2023 event here on Tuesday, President Droupadi Murmu gave a clarion call for collective responsibility in safeguarding water resources for future generations as she expressed concern over the critical issue of groundwater depletion and pollution.
Underscoring the alarming trend that threatens both the environment and public health, in her speech, she highlighted the essential role of groundwater in supporting communities and ecosystems, while urging a unified approach to water conservation.
The President emphasised that without immediate and concerted efforts to protect this vital resource, society's growth and sustainability would be at risk.
"Groundwater is not only getting polluted but also depleting.
This is a serious concern," the president said while conferring the National Water Awards 2023 here.
She warned that without conservation efforts, society cannot progress.
Murmu said that all major civilisations have thrived around water bodies, and yet, in modern times, water is often neglected.
"We at times forget the importance of water," she said.
Speaking on the occasion, the President said that water is a basic necessity and a fundamental human right for every individual.
A clean and prosperous society cannot be built without ensuring access to clean water. The unavailability of water and poor sanitation has a greater impact on the health, food security and livelihood of the underprivileged.
The President pointed out that water conservation is part of our tradition.
"Our ancestors used to build ponds near villages. They used to build reservoirs in or near temples so that the stored water could be used in case of water shortage.
Unfortunately, we are forgetting the wisdom of our ancestors. Some people have encroached upon reservoirs for personal gain.
This not only affects the availability of water during drought but also creates flood-like situations when there is excessive rainfall," she said.
Murmu emphasised the role of the state governments in water management, praising the Ministry of Jal Shakti and minister C R Patil for their dedication to conservation.
The president also lauded the winners of the National Water Awards for their efforts and urged that their best practices be shared widely.
The awards, organised by the Department of Water Resources under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, recognised efforts across nine categories, with Odisha securing the top spot for Best State, followed by Uttar Pradesh while Gujarat and Puducherry were joint third place.
The National Water Awards started in 2018 to promote water conservation is in line with the government's vision of a 'Jal Samridh Bharat' (water-sufficient India).
