Bhopal, Apr 28: Public Health Engineering Minister Choudhary Chandrabhan Singh has urged the people to realise the importance of water before it is too late and come forward to lend a helping hand for water augmentation and conservation. The Minister expressed these views while laying the foundation stone of two stop dams to be constructed at a cost of Rs one crore in Chhindwara.

Singh made a call for planting maximum number of saplings during the coming rainy season since trees have 70 per cent capacity to carry rainwater to the underground level. He exhorted the farmers to undertake plantation on mud fencing of their fields.

He said that crisis of fuel wood has cropped up due to depleting forests. He exhorted the people not to disturb environment and come forward to undertake plantation with a view to maintaining ecological balance and conserving every single drop of rainwater.

On the occasion, he informed that residents of 12 villages would be rid of movement problems during the rainy season following construction of stop dam-cum-causeway apart from availing water facility round the year. The stop dams to be built across Kulbehra river would bring 120 hectare area under irrigation.