Collector U. Sagayam on Wednesday announced the formation of committees exclusively to safeguard water bodies. He said encroachments had already been removed and trespassers evicted from various water bodies in the district.
Once water was available at a few metres, now one has to dig deep to get water in Madurai. To restore the water table, this committee would work to protect water bodies. Women self-help groups and farmers must come forward to join the committee.
The Collector was addressing the inaugural session of fifth edition of Madurai Symposium, a biennial five-day event which provides a platform for various stake holders in society such as government officials, non-governmental organisations, communities, academic institutions, corporates and banks to chart out an action plan for development. The theme of the current edition is ‘Sustainable livelihood.'
For a nation or a society to prosper, he said, it must ensure that a majority of its poor and farmers were uplifted.
Here, many farmers said that they continued to remain in the profession only due to lack of alternatives.
Despite adverse conditions, they continued to harbour hope of a transformation, a hope that social welfare organisations must work to fulfil, said Mr. Sagayam.
Speaking earlier, M.P. Vasimalai, Executive Director of Dhan Foundation, said that stake holders such as women and farmers would be projected and given a platform through this event in which experts, non-governmental organisations, bankers, educationists and traders were taking part.
N. Venkiteswaran, Director, Thiagarajar School of Management, said that the development model followed in the country had not led to grass root developments. This realisation had come about of late in the Government and its agencies, which were now focusing on inclusive development.
A. Umarani, Coordinator, Madurai Symposium 2011, said that the declarations of the previous editions were sent to the State and Central Governments to be considered while formulating development policies.
P. Krishnamurthi, team leader, Dhan Foundation; V.K. Padmavathi, chief executive officer, Dhan Kalanjiam Foundation; S. Natarajan, Deputy General Manager (Watersheds Unit), National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development; A. Gurunathan , chief executive officer of Dhan Vayalagam (Tank) Foundation, and R. Singarayar, project leader, Dhan Foundation, participated in the inaugural function.
