District Collector H. Krishnanunni said that priority should be given to rainwater harvesting in rural areas and wanted it to be taken up as a people’s movement.
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He was addressing villagers during the gram sabha meeting held at Moolapalayam in Elavamalai panchayat on the occasion of World Water Day on Wednesday.
Mr. Krishnanunni said that gram sabha meetings were held six times a year in all the 225 village panchayats. “Rainwater is precious. Priority should be given to harvesting rainwater and it should be carried out as a people’s movement,” he said.
He called upon the people to plant more saplings to protect the environment and said steps were being taken to prevent the outbreak of dengue. “Ensure that all overhead tanks and water storage tanks are cleaned and chlorinated twice a month,” he said.
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Mr. Krishnanunni asked people not to dump garbage in the open or in water bodies and asked them to desist from using banned plastic items. “Ensure that the village is free from garbage and open defecation,” he stressed. He asked parents to focus on educating their children and ensure that there were no dropouts in the village. He urged the residents to make use of the schemes implemented by the State government for the welfare of people. He received petitions from the villagers and assured them of necessary action.