To address the water crisis in Haryana, Irrigation and Water Resources Minister Shruti Choudhry on Tuesday called a meeting of senior departmental officers.
Additional Chief Secretary, Irrigation Department, Anurag Agarwal, Chief Engineer, Irrigation Department, and other officers were present at the meeting.
Choudhry sought reports from district-level irrigation officers through video conferencing and conducted a review with senior officers on how to tackle the situation. She gave clear directions to district-level officers to fill water bodies and ponds from the canals.
The Minister said that no member of the public should face any inconvenience during this water crisis. Wherever possible, efforts should be made to fill the water bodies from available sources. The people of Haryana should not suffer due to Punjab’s stubbornness. She also advised the district-level officers to appeal to the general public to use water properly and avoid wastage, especially during the summer season. This will help raise awareness about water conservation and aid in overcoming difficult circumstances.
The Irrigation Minister directed senior officers to keep a close watch on the situation in every district and monitor water usage. She emphasised that all water bodies in the state must be filled and that no laxity should be allowed by the Irrigation Department. She issued directions for proper water management in all districts, including Sirsa, Fatehabad, Bhiwani, Rewari, Hisar, and Rohtak.
She also discussed the upcoming monsoon and directed that all necessary preparations for flood control should be completed by the end of June. Additionally, the Minister gave directions for implementing the ongoing schemes of the Irrigation Department. The minister directed that where water is needed for irrigation, efforts should be made through small and micro-irrigation schemes. Inclusive water management should be ensured, with special focus on avoiding groundwater depletion.
She said that the matter of receiving water from BBMB is under judicial consideration, and they hope that Haryana will soon receive its share of water.