In a significant stride towards promoting water conservation and management, an exposure tour for 30 Women Self-Help Group (SHG) members was organised at WTP Sites in Chingkhei Ching and Porompat in Imphal East on Thursday.
The tour, jointly organised by the State Mission Directorates of AMRUT and DAY-NULM Manipur, in association with PHED, was part of the celebration of “Jal Diwali” under the initiative of the “Women for Water, Water for Women Campaign” launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
The entourage was flagged off by MAHUD Minister Y Khemchand from the City Convention Centre, Imphal.
Minister Khemchand emphasised the crucial role women play in micro-management of water at the household level.
He highlighted the growing challenges of water scarcity due to climate change and stressed the importance of understanding water management processes.
The exposure visits to Water Treatment Plants (WTPs) are designed to provide women with firsthand knowledge about water treatment and distribution, enabling them to use water sensibly and efficiently. Minister Khemchand stated that women’s inclusion in water governance can be facilitated by familiarizing them with the functioning of water treatment plants.
At the Chingkheiching WTP, the women SHG members were warmly welcomed by officials of State Mission Directorates AMRUT and DAY-NULM and PHED, Manipur.
N Benju Singh, Chief Town Planner, and State Mission Director, AMRUT, highlighted that the objective of AMRUT and subsequently AMRUT 2.0 is to provide 24x7 water supply, achieving water-secure cities.
He suggested achieving this objective by using treated water supplied from WTPs exclusively for kitchen uses and restricting its usage for other purposes like washing, flushing, construction activities, and more.
The initiative can be supported by the installation of Smart Water Meters in every household and recycling of used or grey water through the introduction of a dual piping system, he added.
