Former Prime Minister of India - Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Appeal by the Prime Minister 'Let us make water conservation a National Mission'

~I share the sense of relief and satisfaction at the timely arrival and steady progress of the monsoon in many States. Let us hope that all parts of our country receive adequate and undelayed rains this year, bringing smile on the face of our hard-working kisans, quenching the thirst of our animals, and mitigating the shortage of drinking water in our villages and towns.

At the start of the rainy season this year, I have an appeal to all my countrymen: Let us collectively address the problem of water shortage, which is assuming crisis proportions with every passing year, by conserving every drop of water. This problem can be dealt with effectively only through a sustained partnership between citizens, people’s organizations, various water users and the government at all levels. It calls for short-term as well as long-term measures, all of which have to be taken up with utmost urgency and a sense of national mission. Recognising the global nature of the problem, the United Nations has called for observing 2004 as ~The International Year of Fresh Water~. I would like to make five specific suggestions:

1. Let every household, every housing society and colony, every panchayat and municipal body consider how it can save available water and implement rain water harvesting, water recycling and other measures before the end of this rainy season.

2. Individual farmers, farmers’ cooperatives, panchayats and district administrations in water-scarce areas should take up necessary measures like construction of bunds and check dams; desilting of ponds and well; repair of canals; and adoption of drip, sprinkler and other water-saving irrigation techniques. Implementation of the Union Government’s schemes like Swajaldhara and Hariyali, and similar schemes of State Governments should be expedited.

3. All industrial units, hotels and commercial establishments, government offices, and other users of water should conduct a water audit and see how significant and targeted saving can be achieved. In this context, I have directed the Prime Minister’s Office to implement a plan to achieve at least a 10% reduction in the usage of water.

4. Cleaning up our polluted rivers, lakes and ponds, as well as measures to prevent their further pollution should become a matter of widespread debate and action.

5. Our scientists should take up development of low-cost water-saving technologies as a major challenge.

In order to focus the nation’s attention on this issue, I suggest that we observe July as ~Water Month~. This period may be used for conducting mass awareness activities, shramdaan in schools, colleges and workplaces; and seminars and workshops of various categories of water users, etc. all over the country. In this endeavour, let us be guided by the self-evident truth: ~Water sustains life. It is now our duty to sustain all sources of water.~