Nagpur, Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Saturday pitched for collective efforts for water conservation in Maharashtra's Vidarbha region, and suggested that water from MOIL and WCL mines be provided to farmers for agricultural use.
Speaking at the 17th Agrovision Agriculture Exhibition here, he said success stories of water conservation and groundwater recharge in Maharashtra's drought-affected regions will be presented at the event.
At Agrovision, farmers can learn the stories of those who have successfully carried out water-conservation experiments, and undertake similar experiments in their own farms and villages, Gadkari added. He is the chief patron of Agrovision.
Emphasising the need for collective efforts for water conservation in every district of Vidarbha, he said discussions will be held on how this work can be carried out with even greater momentum to ensure Vidarbha becomes drought-free and irrigation can be expanded.
Speaking about mine water for agricultural use, Gadkari said, "In Vidarbha, we have mines belonging to Manganese Ore India and WCL . Once those mines are excavated, water accumulates there."
Gadkari urged state minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, who was present at the event, to invite representatives of MOIL and WCL to a major conference to be held in VNIT this December to discuss the issue.
{{/usCountry}}Gadkari urged state minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, who was present at the event, to invite representatives of MOIL and WCL to a major conference to be held in VNIT this December to discuss the issue.
{{/usCountry}}He said a paper had been prepared on such mine water, which can be supplied to farmers by installing solar pumps. It would be of considerable help in tiding over the drought situation, Gadkari said.
"There are 6,500 malguzari lakes in Vidarbha. By deepening them, more water can be utilized. Furthermore, if the silt in dams is cleared, their usefulness can be increased," the Union minister added.
Addressing a press conference, Gadkari also spoke about the Mankar Trust, which has 1600 teachers working with 40,000 tribal students. The work of the trust has been going on for 25 years, while he himself has worked on water issues for the last 26 years, he added.
"As I have grown older, I say 'now call the young people' . But, you publish false news that Gadkari is going to retire," he said in a dig at the media.
Gadkari explained that the aim was to carry out a generation-to-generation transfer of knowledge, for which continuous efforts are being made.
Brushing aside "retirement" questions that are often thrown at him, Gadkari said, "This is your generation, the generation before you was that of the earlier journalists. You will keep doing your work, and I will keep doing mine."
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