The 5th National Water Awards 2023 were announced in New Delhi today. Odisha has bagged the first prize in the category of Best State followed by Uttar Pradesh in the second position. Gujarat and Puducherry have jointly secured the third position.
President Droupadi Murmu will confer the 5th National Water Awards 2023 on the 22nd Oct at 11.00 am at Plenary Hall, Vigyan Bhawan, in New Delhi. The awards will be conferred to in total of 38 winners including joint winners in nine categories. Each award winner will receive a citation and a trophy as well as cash prizes in certain categories.
? #Odisha shines in the 5th National Water Awards!
✅Best State: Odisha – ? place
✅Best District (East Zone): #Balangir
✅Best Urban Local Body: #Puri – ?place
✅Best School: Khairbani Ashram School, #Mayurbhanj – ? place pic.twitter.com/1OZLD5ywz0— PIB in Odisha (@PIBBhubaneswar) October 14, 2024
Union Minister of Jal Shakti CR Paatil announced the list of winners of the 5th National Water Awards, today, at Shram Shakti Bhawan, New Delhi. The Department of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD &GR),  under the Ministry of Jal Shakti announced the 38 winners, including joint winners, for the 5th  National Water Awards, 2023, in 09 categories viz Best State, Best District, Best Village Panchayat, Best Urban Local Body, Best School or College, Best Industry, Best Water User Association, Best Institution (other than school or college), and Best Civil Society.
5 NATIONAL WATER AWARDS, 2023
BEST STATE: FIRST WINNER – ODISHA
Odisha state has made exemplary strides in water conservation activities during the last few years. About 53,000 water conservation & rain water harvesting structures, and 10,800 reuse and recharge structures have been created as well as renovation of 11,000 of traditional water bodies, 68,700 watershed development, and 21,000 waste water treatment plants has been completed.
Renovation of about 1,800 km of drainage channel has resulted in retrieval of around 39,000 hectares of agriculture land from water logging. Over 90,900 ha of irrigated area has been transformed from conventional to micro irrigation of sprinkler and drip systems benefiting about 87000 farmers. 9 crore intensive afforestation has been completed. Mukshyamantri Adibandha Tiari Yojana has been implemented for development of check dams and minor irrigation.
Major strides have been made by the State particularly in the last year, i.e., 2023.
BEST DISTRICT EAST ZONE
WINNER-BALANGIR
Major achievements of District in the field of water conservation during 2023 include creation of 167 river embankments, and 241 ha of plantation with soil and moisture conservation done under Green Mahanadi Mission. Further, construction of around 260 farm ponds; 170 check dams, 160 diversion weirs, 1,320 water harvesting structures, 460 percolation tanks & 670 groundwater recharge structures have also been undertaken.
In addition, about 54,00 ha of area has been covered under Drip Irrigation and Sprinkler Irrigation systems and creation of overall 3,250 micro water storage structures with a storage capacity of about 1.8 lakh cubic metres.
Besides, about 3,500 farm ponds have also been developed with storage capacity of 26 lakh cubic metres. 1,600 dug wells, storing 76,800 cubic meters of water have also been created.
The district has also reported taking up of 44 minor irrigation projects and 22 diversion weir projects being implemented in Mahanadi river basin, connecting about 50 small Nallas and rivulets with embankment protection which protects cultivable area, as well as help in flood and ground water recharge. Further, about 17 lakh trees have been planted through intensive plantation activities. Pani Panchayat Programs have been organised to facilitate community involvement and ownership in water management decisions at the grassroots level.
BEST URBAN LOCAL BODY
SECOND WINNER: PURI, ODISHA
Puri Municipal Corporation (PMC) is credited with ensuring 100% metered water connections and water supply 24X7 to the entire population. Water quality conformance of 100% has been achieved:
Other achievements of PMC include construction of more than 130 Rain Water Harvesting Structures (RWHS) with an estimated recharge potential of 21 million litres of groundwater, 100% toilet coverage as well as a collection efficiency of the sewage network of more than 90%.
In addition, for addressing customer complaints and resolving water related issues a 24X7 interactive voice based customer care system has been set up, which enables automatic complaint logging, transfer of the complaint to the concerned staff for immediate action, and online real time tracking of the redressal of the complaint.
Further, deployment of Smart Water Management system has helped in real time data analysis and decision making for uninterrupted water supply with minimal losses and maximum customer satisfaction. Also, the initiative of community led water supply management by partnering with Self Help Groups (SHG)s, called as “Jalasathi” has acted as a bridge between customers and the administration. Their partnership is based on incentives for women of SHGs. The Jalasathis help in facilitating new connections, reading water meters, distributing water bills, and collecting user charges.
BEST SCHOOL OR COLLEGE
THIRD WINNER: KHAIRBANI ASHRAM SCHOOL, BAISINGA, MAYURBHANJ,Â
The school has established a roof-top rain water harvesting system, wherein a special pit collects the rain water and the water is allowed to percolate into the ground, replenishing groundwater level. Besides, a storage tank has been also installed to collect rainwater. The collected water is used for watering plants & cleaning.
In addition, an area of 4,000 sq.ft. of school campus is being utilized for kitchen garden. Further, school students organize awareness campaigns about water conservation & good practices on regular basis with local people, which has helped in increase of reuse of leftover water, developing kitchen garden in every household, and tree plantation in the
area.