Gram panchayats asked to exercise rights over water bodies

Gulbarga, Mar 9 (UNI) Water Conservationist Rajendra Singh today called upon Panchayat Raj institutions to fight against privatisation of water bodies by the government.

Speaking at a workshop on ''Watershed Deveelopment works' here, he pointed out that as per the 73rd and 74th Amendments of the Constitution gram panchayats were the sole owners of water bodies within their jurisdiction and asked villagers to be vigilant and exercise their rights over the water bodies.

He said the Tarun Bharat Sangh of Rajasthan Action Group succeeded in converting deserts to green fields and dry rivers to perennial ones only by adopting traditional knowledge about conservation.

Speaking on the occasion, Minor Irrigation State Secretary A Venkataiah expressed concern over the depleting ground water table across the state and asked gram panchayats to make use of 50 per cent of the funds allocated under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme for improving the ground water table.

UNI BSR RG HVB1950