Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that now no new construction will take place in Amarkantak. Necessary steps will be taken to ensure that sewage water from the old constructions does not flow into the Narmada river. It is necessary to take drastic steps to save the Narmada river.
Water treatment plants are being set up in the cities situated on the banks of Narmada. The water coming out from here will be used in the fields. We have also done works of destruction along with development works.
Where earlier water was available in the earth at 30 to 40 feet, now water is not available even at 1000 feet. It is we alone who are responsible for this. If we want to save the earth and the environment, then we must plant trees. We must make tree plantation a ritual and habit.
The Chief Minister was addressing the session “Kheti Kisani – Nadi Ki Zubani” in Nadi Utsav-2022 at MAPCST. Chouhan also launched an exhibition on river rejuvenation programme. Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries and Water Power Prahlad Singh Patel, Madhya Pradesh Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Minister Omprakash Sakhlecha, Environmentalist and National Convener Gopalji Bhai and Narmada Samagra President Rajesh Dave were special guests.
Chouhan said that there are no glaciers in Madhya Pradesh. Here Maa Narmada takes the form of a huge river only by releasing the water absorbed by the trees drop by drop. Satpura and Vindhyachal are like brothers of river Narmada. There was enough forest on both sides of the Narmada, but the process of uprooting the trees started for expansion of cultivation and gradually the forest started disappearing. If there are no trees and grass on either side of the river, then soil erosion will increase.
Therefore, it is necessary to carry out intensive tree plantation on both sides of the Narmada river. Chouhan said that natural farming is being encouraged on both sides of the Narmada river. This will control the flow of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in the river.
Chouhan informed that services of 5 master trainers are being provided at each development block to encourage natural farming in the state.
The Chief Minister said that we will leave no stone unturned in completing the works which Late Anil Madhav Dave has left unfinished. Every person has to work at his level for environmental protection. If we are committed towards planting and caring for saplings on occasions like birthdays, wedding anniversaries and birth and death anniversaries of our family members, then this can be our significant contribution towards environmental protection.
Chouhan also inspired to develop small nurseries at home and in the field. Chouhan said that the society has to come forward to save the rivers. Rivers can be revived only by working with the people. Every person has to try that dirty water and waste does not go into the rivers. There should be more and more plantation on both sides of the rivers, farmers should adopt natural farming and every person should work with sensitivity for river conservation.
While drawing attention to the scarcity of water, Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Prahlad Singh Patel said that it is not easy to control the growing gap between Jal (Water) and Jeevan (Life). We must save the water that we use, because that too is no longer sufficient. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had said that the third war would be for water. But the battlefield will not be India, because ground water is available in sufficient quantity in India. Union Minister of State Patel said that it is necessary for us to work more effectively to meet the challenges related to water.
It is necessary to look at the rivers as a whole along with their tributaries and their water resources. It is necessary to preserve the nature and the culture of each river.
Madhya Pradesh’s MSME Minister Shri Omprakash Sakhlecha, National Convener Shri Gopalji Bhai, Narmada Samagra President Shri Rajesh Dave also addressed the session. In the end, Chief Minister Shri Chouhan was presented with mementoes and Angavastra.
