Rajasthan Launches Water Conservation Movement

Rajasthan govt launched the campaign to revive water bodies, tackling severe groundwater crisis statewide.

- MANU SHARMA

The Bhajan Lal Sharma-led government in Rajasthan has been in office for over a year and a half, and during this time, it has taken several major decisions. However, what truly stands out is that Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma has understood the sentiments of the people of Rajasthan by launching a significant initiative—the "Vande Ganga Water Conservation Public Campaign"—to preserve water in the state.

This campaign, aimed at rejuvenating dried-up water sources, began at the historic Ramgarh Dam in Jaipur, where Sharma himself participated in shramdaan (voluntary labour) to kick off the effort. A crucial aspect of this initiative is the plan to link the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP)—which could prove to be a boon for Rajasthan—with the Ramgarh Dam. The plan involves connecting it to the Isarda Dam to revive this once-thriving water body.

Ramgarh Dam was once renowned for its natural beauty and utility. It provided drinking water to villages and hamlets spread over more than 800 square kilometers and supported irrigation for farmers. However, over time, encroachments in the dam's catchment area increased, and people began to occupy the river streams that were its main water sources.