Onlykashmir.in News Desk
The Municipal Council Kulgam has intensified its implementation of the nationwide “Catch the Rain” campaign, running under the theme “Where It Falls, When It Falls,” as authorities in South Kashmir step up efforts around rainwater conservation, the rejuvenation of local water bodies and broader environmental sustainability in the district.
As part of the month-long, centrally sponsored initiative, sanitation workers and municipal teams have been carrying out cleanliness drives across different areas of Kulgam, clearing drains, removing waste from streams and water bodies, and undertaking measures aimed at maintaining smooth water flow, preventing waterlogging and improving overall sanitation standards in the town and its surrounding wards.
Nodal Officer for Kashmir Division Irfan Ahmad Wani said the 30-day campaign is being implemented across all 40 Urban Local Bodies in Kashmir, including four ULBs within Kulgam district itself, underscoring the scale of an effort that spans virtually the entire valley rather than being confined to any single town or municipality.
Wani said a comprehensive action plan has been prepared to ensure effective implementation, with particular emphasis on conserving and rejuvenating water bodies, promoting rainwater harvesting at the household and community level, and raising public awareness about the importance of water conservation at a time when erratic rainfall patterns and reduced groundwater recharge have become growing concerns across Jammu and Kashmir.
He added that dedicated teams are visiting streams, ponds and other water bodies across the district to conduct cleanliness drives and sensitise residents about protecting natural resources, stressing that community participation remains essential to any sustainable water management strategy, particularly in a region where traditional water bodies have faced encroachment and neglect over the decades.
During the latest phase of the drive, municipal teams cleaned several water bodies and streams while conducting parallel awareness programmes, urging residents to harvest rainwater, conserve existing water resources and actively contribute towards environmental protection efforts in their neighbourhoods.
The campaign forms part of a wider national push under the Jal Shakti Ministry’s water conservation architecture, which has in recent years sought to address India’s mounting water stress through decentralised, locally implemented interventions rather than large infrastructure projects alone. For Kulgam, a district crossed by the Veshaw river and dotted with smaller streams and ponds, the initiative carries particular relevance given the town’s historical dependence on these water bodies for both domestic use and agriculture.
