THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Finance Minister Thomas Isaac on Friday said the local self-government bodies in the state need to resume ‘Jala Gramasabhas’.“The ‘Jala Gramasabhas’ can be a platform for debate and help people become more aware of the importance of the efforts being taken to protect water resources. The conflicts associated with the setting up of waste or water treatment plants arise owing to the lack of awareness,” said Isaac.
He was speaking at the valedictory function of the ‘Jalasangamam’ event organised by Haritha Keralam Mission at Tagore theatre here.“The activities regarding the cleaning of water resources in the state are primarily public initiatives. However, the sustainability of such efforts is important. When a major canal is cleaned, the sub-canals should also be rejuvenated.
The devastating mid-August flood has created some awareness among the people on the importance of protecting and managing water resources,” he said.“Now, the NREGA workers are also part of most of the cleaning activities in the state. The involvement of various departments in such programmes is also a promising sign,” he said.