Participants with resource persons during the awareness programme on ‘catch the rain project’ held at LCS building, Kohima on February 24. (Photo Courtesy: KYK Kohima)
Kohima, February 24 (MExN): Nehru Yuva Kendra (KYK), Kohima conducted an awareness programme on ‘catch the rain project’ at LCS building, Kohima on February 24 which was attended by 35 participants from various youth clubs.
Speaking on the occasion, a press release from NYK Kohima stated, John Makhabo, District Youth Coordinator, NYK, Kohima said that National Water Mission’s (NWM) campaign ‘catch the rain’ with the tagline ‘catch the rain, where it falls, when it falls’ is to nudge the states and stakeholders to create appropriate Rain Water Harvesting Structures (RWHS) suitable to the climatic conditions and sub-soil strata before monsoon.
Activities
Under this campaign, drives to make check dams, water harvesting pits, rooftop RWHS etc; removal of encroachments and de-silting of tanks to increase their storage capacity; removal of obstructions in the channels which bring water to them from the catchment areas etc; repairs to step-wells and using defunct bore-wells and unused wells to put water back to aquifers etc are required to be taken up with the active participation of people.
Efforts should be made so that all buildings should have rooftop RWHS and that maximum quantity of rain water falling in any compound should be impounded within the compound itself. The basic aim should be that No or only limited water will flow out of the compound. This will help in improving soil moisture and raising ground water table. In urban areas it will reduce water gushing onto roads, damaging them and will prevent urban flooding.
Objectives
According to Makhabo the objectives of the project is to make aware and educate youth leaders and volunteers from NYKs Youth Clubs on the manifold issues and need of water conservation, rain water harvesting, minimizing wastage and re-use of water; make aware and sensitize village communities about the need and importance of water conservation and minimize water wastage for its availability at present and future generations for survival; spread the message of, or the capture of rainfall runoff from roofs or similar hard surface of the campus; empower youth to assume lead role and act as catalytic agent for educating people to practice rainwater “harvesting” and popularize tagline; to motivate farmers to adopt new technologies for irrigation and promote basin level integrated water resources management at local level.
Some other highlights of the session were video clippings, LCD presentation and sharing success stories on rainwater harvest.
