Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi has stressed the need to involve local communities in water management programmes in the Union Territory.
In a WhatsApp message, Ms. Bedi said the role of the community in the management of waterbodies was very important. “Every pond, every tank, every canal and every lake needs ownership and a sense of community participation. Every drop of water needs to be saved and conserved,” she said.
Maximum community participation and support would reduce pressure on public exchequer, the Lt. Governor said. Community participation, Ms. Bedi said, would give a sense of ownership and make the public stakeholders. “Private money must be used to supplement public effort, not replace it,” she added. The Lt. Governor also wanted people who contributed for desilting of channels last year to be roped in again for water conservation projects. “When water is life, everyone has a responsibility to conserve it. Conservation is all about responsibility for oneself and others in all that we do. Be it a public official or not. We are all consumers and providers at the same time,” Ms. Bedi said in her message.