Shillong, March 13 : Representatives from Meghalaya were among those honoured at the National Jal Mahotsav organised by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India, in recognition of their contributions to rural drinking water governance and sustainability.
The national event was graced by President of India Droupadi Murmu, who led the Jal Kalash ceremony and felicitated community representatives from across the country for their outstanding contributions to the successful implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission. The mission aims to provide safe and adequate drinking water through functional household tap connections to every rural household in India.
At the national celebration, 11 awardees from Meghalaya were recognised for their contributions to strengthening rural water supply systems and promoting sustainable water management under the Jal Jeevan Mission.
Villages demonstrating continuous 24×7 rural water supply excellence included Massar village (Pynursla Block), Nongdewsaw village (Ranikor Block), and Pahamjri village (Umling Block).
Recognition for financial sustainability through efficient user charge collection was awarded to Nongsohpian village (Nongstoin Block), Jendragre village (Rongram Block), and Tynriang village (Pynursla Block).
Under the Distinguished Headman Award, Spiland Jyrwa of Pyndendiwah village (Mawkyrwat Block) and Aikolos Ramri of Umsaw village (Nongstoin Block) were honoured for their leadership in managing rural piped water supply systems.
Women champions were also recognised for their excellence in Field Testing Kit (FTK)-based Water Quality Monitoring Systems. The awardees included Elitamary Lyngdoh of Jashiar village (Mawkyrwat Block) and Memorialda Syiem of Tiehsaw village (Nongstoin Block) for their dedication to community-level water quality testing.
Meanwhile, the Jal Mahotsav celebrations in Meghalaya were formally launched by Governor C. H. Vijayashankarat Lok Bhavan in Shillong on March 9, coinciding with the celebration of International Women’s Day. The programme was organised through collaboration between the Public Health Engineering Department, the Department of Social Welfare, and the Health and Family Welfare Department.
Under the Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance (WQM&S) initiative, women from rural communities—including ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers, self-help group members, teachers, and VWSC members—are trained to test drinking water sources using Field Testing Kits (FTKs) and upload the results to the Water Quality Management Information System.
Based on performance data for FY 2025–2026, three villages in Meghalaya were recognised for exemplary water quality testing performance:
- Jongksha village (Mawkynrew Block, East Khasi Hills) – 53 water samples tested
- Khrang village (Khatarshnong–Laitkroh Block, East Khasi Hills) – 50 samples tested
- Nongkhlaw village (Mairang Block, Eastern West Khasi Hills) – 32 samples tested
Officials said the recognition highlights the crucial role played by community participation and local leadership in strengthening rural water supply systems and ensuring sustainable drinking water access across the state.
If you want, I can also shorten this into a tighter newsroom-style report (like PTI/UNI style) suitable for news portals.
