A month after writing an open letter to residents of Tiruvannamalai urging them to join hands with the district administration to save water, Collector Prashant M. Wadnere has been labouring for two hours every Saturday to do his bit for conservation of water.
He has been contributing in his own way by getting involved in work at any site for constructing checkdams in villages. On May 6, he joined hands with workers for constructing a gabion checkdam at Puliarambakkam village in Cheyyar union. Dusi K. Mohan, Cheyyar MLA, government officers, NGOs and the public joined the effort.
Mr. Wadnere got involved in a number of check-dam construction works in April. He began his efforts on April 4 at a site where a checkdam was being constructed across a stream at Thumbakadu village, Kuttaikarai panchayat, Jawadhu Hills union. On April 8, he worked for two hours along with MGNREGA workers at Keezhsirubakkam village.
On April 15, he joined the workers at Thenpallipattu village in Kalasapakkam union.
On the following Saturdays, he worked at Muthanur village in Pudupalayam union and at Jameengudalur village in Keezhpennathur union.
In his open letter, Mr. Wadnere pointed out how the district was under the grip of severe drought and a number of works were being taken up to improve drinking water supply. He expressed concern over the depletion of groundwater and stressed the need for measures on a war footing.
