Meghalaya observed World Water Day today along with the rest of the world along the theme ‘Accelerating change to solve the water and sanitation crisis’.
In Shillong, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma attended the World Water Day event at Soso Tham Auditorium to mark the significance of this important day.
“We are here to ensure that we manage, protect and conserve water in the most efficient way possible,” Sangma said. “At the end of the day, we should ensure that we are able to provide enough and sufficient drinking water to the citizens of our state. Meghalaya has had a holistic plan of ensuring that we protect our water bodies, catchment areas, rejuvenate our spring shells, rejuvenate groundwater and create reservoirs. We have apportioned a substantial budget for water projects in the coming years to establish Meghalaya as a robust state in terms of water resources.”
Also present on the occasion was Water Resources Minister Comingone Ymbon and Public Health Engineering Minister Marcuise N Marak.
In Resubelpara, a programme was organised by the PHE Department aimed at highlighting the importance of water, particularly freshwater and solving the water crisis through awareness and taking effective measures.
Speaking as the chief guest during the programme, Tadingchi N Sangma, Assistant Commissioner of North Garo Hills, enlightened the gathering on the pressing issue of water crisis all around the world and added that due to rapid urbanization and clearing of forests for human settlement the problem of water scarcity has become inevitable.
“Since water and forests are inter-related there would be no water without forests and no forests without water,” she added.
She implored upon the gathering to understand the significance of preservation of water catchment areas and fresh water resources; rain water harvesting and conservation of forests.
Earlier, A’we Pedallers, a team of cyclists, had a rally from Bakra MFC to Jolding Wari, a tourist spot to spread water awareness and its conservation.
As part of the programme, student winners of the essay, drawing and folk song competition were felicitated by the chief guest and a play on the objective of JJM was also enacted by Bakra Women’s Club.
