To save water in a dry region like Bundelkhand, the result of being stubborn like children and trying to live up to the extent of eccentricity is that today streams of water are flowing between the burning stones like iron pans. Not only flowing, but irrigating the fields and adding life to the growing crops.
Uma Shankar Pandey, a resident of Jakhni village of Banda district, is engaged in conserving water on the basis of the community, without the help of the government, by the traditional method of ancestors “farm on the ridge and the tree on the ridge”. Avinash Mishra, Water and Land Advisor in the Ground Water Conservation Committee of NITI Aayog, headed by the Prime Minister, has been nominated as a member of the Water Conservation Committee group in view of his efforts and struggle for water conservation.
Water warrior Uma Shankar Pandey has been running a water public dialogue campaign for the last 25 years with the aim of rainwater conservation, “Khet Per Med Med Par Tree”. The Prime Minister of the country, pic.twitter.com/MTUrPcR1VY
— ANI (@ANI) August 22, 2021
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has praised his campaign in Mann Ki Baat on 25 September 2020.
Uma Shankar Pandey ji says that “In the social life of 25 years, he received and faced many honors and humiliations, the stories of struggle went along. If someone insulted, someone took out the deficiency, someone encouraged it, it all went on. I am happy that the method I chose for water conservation, considering that method useful, Prime Minister wrote a letter to the heads of the country. He appealed to the common people and farmers to conserve water by making bunds. The water village I went with, the Government of India has identified 1050 water villages under the Jal Revolution, which can be seen on the website of the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Pandey ji said that “I thank the Prime Minister of the country, who included my work on his Twitter handle and in ‘Mann Ki Baat’ and the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, who interacted directly with me. Apart from this, to the Ministry of Jal Shakti, NITI Aayog, Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India, State Government, Divisional Administration and District Administration and all my colleagues who were witnesses in the campaign of water conservation and all those friends who stood with me in my happiness and sorrow. Thank you.”
Said that “My method got recognition at district level, state level, national level, international level, this is my big achievement. Today, the watershed method of water conservation, the water village is known by our name in the country. I have not taken a single rupee government grant from anywhere, nor have I applied for any award. The one who felt right gave me respect, gave me space. The one who did not like it criticized it. As long as the health is good, efforts to conserve ground water will continue on community basis in the direction of plantation in the direction of rainwater conservation. On one hand, the water will stop due to fencing in the fields, on the other hand planting trees will purify the environment, and there will be additional income.
Uma Shankar Pandey ji got national and international honor…
1- Krishak Samman – Amrit Festival of Independence– 15 August 2021
(Provided by MP RK Singh Patel under the chairmanship of Vice Chancellor of Agricultural University, US Gautam, Sadar MLA Prakash Dwivedi.)
2- State level honor — Government of Uttar Pradesh — 2021
(The then Jal Shakti Minister of Uttar Pradesh Dr. Mahendra Singh provided Indira Gandhi Peace Foundation in Lucknow.)
3- Silver Drops National Award——Neer Foundation——2020
(Provided by Padma Bhushan Anil Prakash Joshi.)
4- National Constitutional Water Warrior Award — Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India —- Year 2020
(Conferred by the Vice President Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu in the presence of Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.)
5- The Water Digester Award —– Organization of the United Nations —- 2020
(Provided by the Minister of Jal Shakti, Government of India in the presence of the International UN Director.)
6- National Jal Prahari Samman —– Government of India —- 2019
(Provided by Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in Delhi.)
7- Special Award — International Film Festival — 2019
(Provided by Raja Bundela, Vice Chairman, Film Star Bundelkhand Development Board at the Khajuraho International Film Festival.)
8- Vidya Bhushan Samman——for outstanding contribution in the social field——2015
(Provided by the Director of Sanskrit Research Institute.)
9- Ability Award — Government of India for social constructive work —- 2006
(The award committee constituted under the chairmanship of Justice JS Verma, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, presented the ability award by Justice AB Shah, Chief Justice of Madras High Court.)
10- Special Award — Government of Uttar Pradesh — 2004
(Provided by the then District Magistrate Banda Shri Mukesh Kumar Meshram on the occasion of Republic Day.
11- Public Servant Award — Government of Uttar Pradesh —- 1999
(Provided by the then Governor Dr. Suraj Bhan at Raj Bhavan, Lucknow under the chairmanship of the then Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Ram Prakash Gupta)
Apart from this, dozens of other awards have also been presented. Some of which are the following…………
international film festival
(The then District Magistrate Banda Hiralal was honored by the Chairman of the State Film Development Board, Rajiv Srivastava for the contribution made in the field of water conservation.)
saint vinova honor ,
(Provided by the then Industries Minister Suresh Pachauri on behalf of Balkrishna Smriti Sansthan Kanpur in Kanpur.)
The tree method on the ridge in the field was honored by the World Book of Records UK by the then Minister of State for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla, Government of India.