Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) launched the PAANI app to prevent water wastage and involve citizens in conservation efforts across Hyderabad.
District in-charge Minister Ponnam Prabhakar launched the mobile application on Thursday, October 29. He urged residents to work with the Water Board to identify water wastage and promote responsible consumption.
The initiative allows citizens to register as ‘Save Water Volunteers’ and report instances of water wastage in their localities.
Speaking at the launch, Prabhakar said Water Board personnel could not monitor every locality across the city. Therefore, the government decided to involve residents directly in efforts to conserve water.
PAANI app to prevent water wastage through public participation
Prabhakar said the PAANI app to prevent water wastage would encourage citizens to take responsibility for conserving water. He appealed to people concerned about public welfare to participate actively in the initiative. Moreover, he stressed that protecting water resources required cooperation between government agencies and residents.
The Minister said public participation would help the Water Board identify cases of water wastage that its personnel could not monitor regularly.
Through the application, residents can register as volunteers and report water wastage in their surroundings. The initiative seeks to make citizens active participants in water conservation rather than leaving monitoring entirely to officials. Prabhakar also expressed concern over inadequate attention to water conservation, even during periods of heavy rainfall in Hyderabad.
Minister calls for rainwater harvesting pits in homes
Highlighting the importance of groundwater recharge, Prabhakar urged residents to construct rainwater harvesting pits in every house and apartment. He said groundwater conservation deserved greater attention alongside efforts to prevent water wastage.
Furthermore, the Minister stressed the need to make better use of rainfall to improve groundwater levels. He called for greater public awareness about conserving available water resources. Prabhakar also clarified that the government’s primary objective was not to penalise residents for wasting water.
He said the administration had no intention of harassing citizens through fines. Instead, the initiative aimed to educate people about water conservation and encourage the judicious use of water.
The Minister reiterated that cooperation from citizens was essential because Water Board staff could not oversee every locality. HMWSSB Managing Director Ashok Reddy and other senior officials attended the application launch programme.