SHOPIAN, FEBRUARY 20: Deputy Commissioner of Shopian, Shishir Gupta, flagged off the Watershed Yatra at the Mini-Secretariat Shopian and launched a plantation drive within the campus to promote sustainable environmental practices.
The Watershed Yatra focuses on the conservation and harvesting of water sources, engaging local communities in these efforts. The initiative is funded by the Department of Land Resources and implemented by the Rural Development Department under the WDC-PMKSY 2.0 program.
The program covers various conservation projects aimed at improving water usage, including water harvesting tanks, irrigation channels, dykes, soil protection bunds, ponds, and soakage pits, as well as initiatives to enhance farmers’ livelihoods.
The scheme is executed in three stages: planning, execution, and evaluation, in coordination with departments such as horticulture and agriculture. In Shopian, it is currently being implemented in the blocks of Chitragam and Imam Sahib, covering thousands of acres of land.
The program’s success is attributed to the active involvement of institutions like SLNA, DWCs, and PRIs, which have significantly benefitted agricultural and other local communities.
Also present at the event were ADDC Dr. Nasir Ahmad Lone, ACD Manzoor Ahmad, and other officers and officials who participated in the yatra and plantation activities.