Odisha Launches ‘Sujala’ Drive for Water Conservation

The Odisha Government has launched a 15-day statewide ‘Sujala’ campaign to promote water conservation, safe drinking water and awareness about waterborne diseases.
The campaign, organised by the Housing and Urban Development Department under WATCO (Water Corporation of Odisha), began on October 2 and will continue until October 16, 2026. Housing and Urban Development Minister Dr Krushna Chandra Mohapatra inaugurated the initiative in Bhubaneswar.

The campaign carries the message “Water Conservation—Today’s Necessity, Tomorrow’s Destiny”, urging people to reduce water wastage and protect water resources for future generations.
Public awareness activities will also focus on the health risks linked to contaminated water, including diarrhoea, dysentery, typhoid and jaundice. People are being advised to store drinking water in clean, covered containers, keep water sources free from pollution and maintain proper household hygiene.

Under the campaign, citizens are encouraged to turn off taps when water is not required, repair leaking pipelines quickly, avoid dumping waste near rivers, ponds and tube wells, and adopt rainwater harvesting. Regular cleaning of overhead and underground water tanks has also been recommended.

The government has appealed to citizens to actively participate in the campaign, stressing that while water supply is the government’s responsibility, conserving water is a shared public duty.
For water-related complaints and assistance, people can contact the toll-free helplines 155359 and 1800-1216-833.

MLA Babu Singh attended the launch as Guest of Honour. Engineer-in-Chief of PHEO Bilas Behera, WATCO Managing Director Debabrata Mohapatra and other senior officials were also present.
The government said the initiative aims to encourage sustainable water-use practices and contribute to cleaner, healthier urban communities across Odisha.