LONGDING, 22 Mar: The PHE&WS division of Longding district celebrated World Water Day on Tuesday with the theme ‘Groundwater making the invisible visible’.
PHE&WS EE Tage Nipa spoke on the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) and catchment area protection. He called on the public to “contribute in creating a jan andolan in making the JJM successful.”
District consultant Chonai Wangpan made a presentation on ways to rejuvenate groundwater and screened a video on the day’s theme. He appealed to all the stakeholders to adopt watershed area for rejuvenation.
Later, the RFO highlighted the importance of forests, while the representative of the Wancho Cultural Society, which is the implementing support agency, spoke on plantation and systematic resettlement of habitation in the downhill areas.
Longding-Pumao MLA Tanpho Wangnaw launched the JJM theme song of Longding, produced by the PHE&WS division.
The MLA appealed to all the panchayat members and stakeholders to “plant a jackfruit and banana plant in every household to add to the economic uplift of the individual and gradual stopping of jhum cultivation.”
Architectural engineering graduate Changam Wangsa highlighted how rainwater is unable to percolate down to the ground due to increased human settlement and concrete roads and outdoor pavements.
Chief of Niaunu village, Tokhow Wangham, suggested that all the churches in the villages construct a rainwater harvesting system. She also advised people to “leave gaps between blocks while constructing pavements, to allow the water to percolate into the ground and in groundwater recharge.”
Advocate Wangtan Wangsu urged the forest department to “take strict action on biodiversity conservation.”
District consultant Phopha Wangsa also spoke.
Meanwhile, the PHE&WS department on Monday planted 100 saplings along the sides of the Longding-Kanubari national highway to mark the International Forests Day with the theme ‘Forest and sustainable production and consumption’.
Launching the plantation programme, Longding block ZPM Jehai Wangsu urged the people to plant more trees and preserve the forests.
Later, students of Classes 8 and 12 were taken on an exposure visit to the water treatment plant in Nginu village, where they were informed about the process of providing safe drinking water supply. They were also educated about the importance of forests and the need for afforestation. (With DIPRO input)
