Imphal: Water is life, and we cannot survive without it, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said on Wednesday, addressing World Water Day here. He urged the people to understand the importance of water.
The Chief Minister said that forests and trees are integral to the water cycle and that the government has been laying emphasis on Green Mission Manipur since the beginning of the previous term.
The call to preserve and conserve reserved forest and protected forest areas is for the people, especially those living nearest to the forest cover, he said, adding that these people should protect the forest cover.
Manipur’s King Maharaja Sanajaoba Leishemba and his family celebrated ‘Sajibu Nongma Panba Cheiraoba’ at his bungalow, Feroz Shah Road, New Delhi on Wednesday with rituals and different Manipuri dishes, purely vegetables.
The Chief Minister expressed his desire for engineers and officials of public health, water resources, and forests to organize rallies in the hills where there is massive deforestation to create awareness among the villagers on the importance of trees and to create a sense of ownership for the forest cover amongst them.
Further urging the people to use water wisely, the Chief Minister said that the government is also making efforts to provide sufficient water to the people.
He said during the recent lean period, the government brought water from the Thoubal Project, created a reservoir at the Chingkhei Ching water treatment plant, and created filling points at Khuman Lampak.
Civilization is not just infrastructural development, but also people having civic sense, he said, urging the people against polluting river water by washing clothes in the river or leaking septic tanks into the river.
Biren Singh also elaborated on the impact of illegal drugs on society. He highlighted the need to identify addicts and for local clubs and organisations to offer proper counselling and care without any victimisation or humiliation to the families of addicts to encourage their recovery.
Speaking on Har Ghar Jal Mission, the Chief Minister said almost 75 per cent of laying of pipes has been completed but it is of no use if there is no water source.
He further encouraged the people to plant more trees and develop small tree covers in the valley areas as well.
Highlighting the filling of ponds and other water bodies to construct community halls, the Chief Minister urged the people against filling up water bodies.
He said the government is seeking to rejuvenate Lamphelpat and other water bodies and to preserve and protect Loktak Lake.
