THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said watershed development was desirable for ensuring Nature conservation, besides giving thrust on agriculture production. Inaugurating the state-level seminar here on ‘watershed planning for sustained development’ he pointed out the organic character of our state is fast diminishing and hence efforts should be made to retrieve the organic character of the soil.State Land Use Board and Haritha Mission are jointly organising the seminar.
He said there is no place in the state without watershed area.
“Watershed means the entire area of a water body including its place of origin. Each paddy field, hills, rivers and marshy land constitute a watershed.”The Chief Minister said since the formation of Haritha Mission there was a perceptible change in the water conservation activities. Further efforts should be made to increase the ground water level and conserve the water from contamination. The water bodies which had ceased to exist should be retrieved.
For recharging the wells on the house premises, efforts should be made to set up rain harvesting in all new houses being constructed. Moreover, three percent of the plots in which huge buildings are constructed will be set apart for rain harvesting.The Chief Minister said the government would initiate steps to ensure that strict action is initiated against those who contaminate water bodies.
Haritha Mission executive vice-chairperson T N Seema released the map of watershed areas prepared by the Pinarayi panchayat.K Muralidharan MLA presided over the function.Thiruvananthapuram district panchayat president V K Madhu, Kollam district panchayat president Jagadamma, former chief secretary S M Vijayanand, Planning and Economic Affairs secretary Sharmila Mary Joseph and Land Use Commissioner A Nizamudeen attended.