Indore: Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has directed its affiliated schools to make sure that all the students save at least one litre of water at home and school everyday.
The new directives are a part of CBSE’s drive to involve all schools in Centre’s flagship scheme - Jal Shakti Abhiyaan. The board has also directed schools to form eco-clubs while strengthening the existing ones.
The chairperson of CBSE Anita Karwal said the base of this year’s co-curricular activities will be water conservation.
“This initiative will make sure that every child in CBSE schools from class V to XII will save at least one litre of water every day at home and at school. Schools will set a target to become water-efficient in next three years,” Anita added.
Jal Shakti Abhiyan, a joint effort of union and state governments, is coordinated by department of drinking water and sanitation. Teams of officers from the central government will visit and work with district administration in 1,592 water-stressed blocks in 256 districts to ensure that five important water conservation interventions are in place.
They are water conservation and rainwater harvesting, revival of traditional and other water bodies/tanks, reuse, bore well recharge structures, watershed development and intensive afforestation.
These water conservation efforts will also be supplemented with special interventions including formation of block and district water conservation plans, efficient water use for irrigation and better choice of crops through Krishi Vigyan Kendras.
The monsoon phase of Jal Abhiyaan that began on July 1 will continue till September 15. Phase two will be run from October 1 to November 30, 2019.
Reena Khurana, chairperson of Sahodaya group of CBSE schools, said water conservation is basic life lesson, which should be imparted to children from an early age. “For this, parents’ participation will be essential,” she added.
