DDWS holds multilingual dialogue with gram panchayats, emphasises community-led long-term water security

The virtual Samvad witnessed a diverse range of participants including Gram Panchayat (GP) representatives, members of Village Water and Sanitation Committees (VWSCs), community participants, Jal Sahiyas, Jal Bahinis, Jal Sakhis, Anganwadi workers, students, teachers, and frontline functionaries from the GPs, along with JJM State Mission Directors, District Collectors/District Magistrates/Deputy Commissioners, DWSM officials, and senior officers from the States.

The Samvad was chaired by Ashok KK Meena, Secretary, DDWS, in the presence of Kamal Kishore Soan, AS&MD, NJJM, D Senthil Pandiyan, Joint Secretary, NJJM, along with Senior officers from the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation.

In his opening remarks, Secretary, DDWS, Ashok KK Meena, emphasised Sujal Gram Samvad as a platform to learn from Gram Panchayats' experiences and challenges. He said the best practices shared during the interaction can help other Gram Panchayats strengthen their own systems.

The release said that Meena underlined that drinking water and sanitation are subjects entrusted to Panchayati Raj Institutions under the 73rd Constitutional Amendment and stressed the need for effective devolution of Funds, Functions and Functionaries (3Fs) to Gram Panchayats for sustainable management of rural water supply systems.

He further emphasised that active community ownership through Village Water & Sanitation Committees (VWSCs), particularly with participation of women, youth and ex-servicemen, is essential for ensuring long-term sustainability of rural drinking water infrastructure.

Various Gram Panchayat representatives and members of sanitation committees shared their experiences during the virtual Samvad. Representatives of GP Subbegoundenpudur of Tamil Nadu, sharing their experiences in Tamil, said that they have achieved 100% Har Ghar Jal coverage across villages and habitations, supplying 55 LPCD through surface water drawn from the Bhavani and Aliyar rivers.

A village representative from Bariyarpur, Lakhisaria, Bihar, speaking in Angika, highlighted water woes before JJM and said many habitations relied on hand pumps and scattered local sources for drinking water. Now Household tap connections have significantly reduced the burden on women and improved access to safe drinking water.

During the interaction, a village representative of GP Sonamarg of Jammu and Kashmir shared his experiences in Hindi. He informed that the Gram Panchayat receives drinking water through gravity-based spring water supply schemes, which have substantially improved drinking water availability in the mountainous region. They informed that the community actively participates in protection and rejuvenation of natural springs, while youth groups support environmental conservation and cleanliness around tourist areas.

District officials informed that the district has undertaken rejuvenation of nearly 30 springs, prepared District Improvement Plans (DIP) for sustainable water security and continues to prioritise source sustainability, gravity-fed systems and convergence with other programmes and local institutions.

Similarly, district administration officials, Gram Panchayat representatives, and committee members from Mamit (Mizoram), Shahjahanpur (Uttar Pradesh), Balrampur (Chhattisgarh), Khunti (Jharkhand), and Panipat (Haryana) shared their on-ground experiences, highlighted key achievements, and discussed the challenges they face in their respective local languages. (ANI)