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DEPARTMENT OF SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION, PUNJAB |
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ABOUT CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF SOILS, PUNJAB
Er. Sukhwant Singh Saini
Taken Over as Chief Conservator of Soils, Punjab w.e.f. 02-05-2005.
Er. S.S.Saini joined the Department of Soil & Water Conservation, Punjab in 1977 at the post of Assistant Soil Conservation Officer after graduating in B. Tech. (Agricultural Engineering). During 28 years stint, he worked on different important positions including Conservator of Soils (Headquarter), Conservator of Soils, Mohali and Subject Matter Specialist (Conservator of Soils) in World Bank aided IWDP Project.
He has a vast experience in Natural Resource Management as well as the administrative matters. His Outstanding Achievements and Future Plans are as follows:
v Watershed Management: Contributed in initiating the concept of watershed management in the Nineties with the Centrally Sponsored Schemes of National Watershed Development programme for rainfed areas (NWDPRA), Flood Prone River (FPR), River Valley Projects (RVP) and Integrated Watershed Development Projects (IWDP)-Hills. Together, these schemes have played a major role in the development of 33,962 hectares of Kandi area of the state.
v Water Harvesting: Performed a key role in the pioneer work of Water Harvesting started in the year 1986. About 100 structures have been constructed in the department and about 200 such structures have been constructed in IWDP (Hills) Project.
v Artificial Recharging: Under the initiative taken up during the tenure, the department has successfully constructed pilot projects of Artificial recharging (including roof-top and runoff water) to groundwater aquifer at 21 sites in the state.
v Integrated Wasteland Development Projects: These innovative projects were proposed through respective DRDAs in various districts. As a result of special initiatives during the tenure, such projects have been approved by GOI and work has been started in 7 districts for benefiting 29550 hectares area.
v Drip/Micro-sprinkler Irrigation: Played a major role in introducing modern irrigation systems like Drip irrigation in the late nineties. More than 4000 hectares of horticulture crops have been brought under these systems during the tenure.
v On-farm Water Saving: The programme of on-farm water management was strengthened for the purpose of saving water. The programme was expanded with annual expenditure increasing from Rs. 5-6 Crores, a few years back, to Rs. 25 Crores on laying underground pipeline for irrigation. 13501 km of underground pipeline has been laid in Punjab state benefiting as area of 4.90 Lakh hectares covering 2 Lakh tubewells. Field Drainage has also been employed on 2610 hectares.
v Motivating People's Participation: All watershed programmes are implemented with active participation of beneficiaries. While working in World Bank's Kandi Project, the major achievement was in ensuring the involvement of User Groups in execution of water harvesting projects and then up-scaling the community's capacity in operation and maintenance by generating own resources through user charges.
It is an open secret now that the ground water resources of the state are undergoing through a phase of extreme stress these days. If the matter is not taken up seriously now, it may turn out to be a disaster in the times to come. Therefore, keeping in view the available potential of the Department of Soil & Water Conservation, Punjab, Er. Sukhwant Singh Saini shall lay a major emphasis on water conservation and development in its future programmes. To mention, a few future & present programmes are as follows:
ü To make RAINWATER HARVESTING a people's programme. Tremendous scope exists for small water harvesting dams, rehabilitation of village ponds, construction of new water bodies etc.
ü GROUND WATER RECHARGE by utilizing flood waters of river Ghaggar through natural and artificial recharge techniques.
ü Expanding Modern Irrigation Techniques Like DRIP AND SPRINKLERS.
ü LINING/Providing UNDERGROUND PIPES on field channels of tubewells. The programme will be expanded to cover 4 Lakhs tubewells in next 10 years which will save 2161 MCM of precious water.
ü Strengthening the EXTENSION work for optimum utilization of water through preparation of farm level WATER USE PLANS.
ü To make use of and by enhancing the provision of funds under Govt. of India's WATERSHED MANAGEMENT programme.
To maintain Soil health, special steps shall be taken to curb soil pollution, soil erosion in kandi area and for management of soil degradation problems in Southern parts of the state.
