Govt to take tough action on usage of submersible pumps
Kolkata: The state Panchayat and Rural Development department will take action against those who are lifting groundwater by installing
submersible pumps.
Subrata Mukherjee, state minister for Panchayat and Rural Development, has asked all gram panchayats to take steps to conserve water.
It has been found that the groundwater level in Goghat Block II in Hooghly district has gone down alarmingly and reached the "dangerous level".
The groundwater level in some other blocks has also depleted and reached "semi-critical level."
Approval is required for usage of submersible pumps but gram panchayats have found that groundwater is being lifted without any
permission.
The Panchayat and Rural Development department has asked the GPs to take stern action against the users of
submersible pumps.
The department has also directed GPs to give stress on rainwater harvesting.
The state government has declared that July 12 will be observed as Save Water Day every year.
To mark its beginning, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took part in a rally from Jorasanko Thakurbari to
Gandhi statue on Mayo Road on July 12. The Panchayat and Rural Development department has introduced Ushar Mukti, a scheme to conserve water in 58 blocks in Paschimanchal districts. The scheme has successfully prevented soil erosion and replenished the ground water level.
The panchayats have been asked to rationalize water usage and take steps to recycle sewer water. If properly done, this water can be used in vegetable cultivation.
The panchayats have also been instructed to prevent stagnation of water as they turn into breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
The segregation of dry and wet waste needs to be done at source. The wet waste can be used to produce manure. The department has also asked the GPs to reduce the use of plastic. The use of plastic below 50 micron has been banned by the state government.
The GPs has been asked to prepare a planner and act accordingly. From July 15 to July 28 cleaning operations will be conducted and from July 15 to September 30 drives will be launched against open defecation.
