Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to make the Jaladhara-Jalaharathi programme a continuous initiative and plan to ensure there is no drinking water shortage, amid projections of rainfall being 39 per cent below normal due to the El Niño phenomenon.
The chief minister reviewed the programme through a video conference and directed officials to focus on water conservation, drinking water supply and protection of standing crops, as the El Niño impact could be more severe than anticipated.
“We should make the Jaladhara-Jalaharathi programme a continuous initiative and plan to ensure there is no drinking water shortage, particularly in view of the forecast of 39 per cent lower rainfall than what is normal,” Naidu was quoted as saying in a release issued on Sunday.
Reviewing the progress of Jaldhara-Jalaharathi works through a video conference from his camp office, the CM directed officials to ensure optimum utilisation of funds available under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
He cautioned them against any laxity in fund utilisation.
Naidu directed district collectors to undertake projects that connect water-surplus basins with water-deficient basins to improve water availability across regions.
He stressed that there should be no delay in the restoration and development of check dams, percolation pits, farm ponds and contour trenches under the Jaldhara initiative.
He also called upon every district to adopt innovative approaches to strengthen water security, said the press release.
Naidu instructed officials to ensure that check dams, farm ponds and tanks created or restored during the first phase of Jaldhara remain structurally sound and free from breaches.
He further instructed officials to prepare district-wise estimates on groundwater recharge and restoration resulting from the initiative.
Stressing community participation, the TDP supremo said residents, farmers, and water user associations should be actively involved in the programme, with people’s representatives and officials taking the lead in mobilising public participation, the press release added.
