Bringing another moment of pride to the Shaheed Bhagat Singh (SBS) Nagar district, Deputy Commissioner Vishesh Sarangal on Tuesday received prestigious national award from Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat for making earnest efforts in water conservation, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
The SBS Nagar has been adjudged best second district in North Zone by Ministry of Jalshakti/Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation for 3rd National Water Awards.
Calling the award as historic moment, Deputy Commissioner Vishesh Sarangal said that Nawanshahr is only district from the Punjab which has received this coveted award today.
He said that the award is recognition to the officers/officials who worked zealously for running a mass movement in the district to save the depleting groundwater table and conserving the water.
Sarangal said that the district laid its major focus on rejuvenating the rivers by building studs and repairing the banks and cleaning Chraan drain, Rahon drain, Phambra drain, East Bein drain, Langroa drain, Simbli drain, Barwa drain, Tonsa choe and Banga Gopalpur drain.
Besides, he added that the administration emphasized on creating artificial recharge structures, maintaining existing recharge systems, silt detention structures, adopting pipeline system for agriculture ensuring efficient use and distribution of water, promoting direct paddy sowing, micro irrigation system, rooftop water harvesting system, constructing soak pits in schools, sewage treatment plant in city, Seechewal model in villages, massive plantation drive, Jal Andolan meetings with panchayats, MCs for awareness , competitions in schools and others way to ensure significant results by running social movement in this direction.
He told that the administration has also removed encroachments from 25 ponds and built 122 retained walls around the ponds to avoid any encroachments in the district.
Sarangal said that district administration would now make greater efforts to serve people with far more humility and dedication in the coming days.
He said that this award would also help in more awakening of the people about this grave issue of immense public importance.
Deputy Commissioner said that the district administration is making strenuous efforts for saving water so that our coming generations are able to get fresh water for drinking besides preserving the environment to give safe future to the generations.