Odisha launches 'Sujala' water conservation campaign across state from Oct 2
Synopsis
Odisha has kicked off 'Sujala', a fortnight-long statewide campaign urging citizens to conserve water, prevent waste, and protect water sources — launched symbolically on Gandhi Jayanti and running until 16 October 2026. The drive by WATCO links water supply governance with citizen responsibility through toll-free helplines, rainwater harvesting promotion, and public health awareness on water-borne diseases.
Key Takeaways
The 'Sujala' campaign was launched on 2 October 2026 in Bhubaneswar by H&UD Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra .
The drive runs from 2 to 16 October 2026 across all districts of Odisha , organised by WATCO .
Campaign theme: 'Water Conservation: A Necessity Today, the Destiny of Future Generations' .
Key focus areas include water-borne disease prevention, rainwater harvesting, leak repair, and hygienic water storage.
Toll-free helplines 155359 and 1800-1216-833 activated for water-supply grievances during the campaign.
Odisha's Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Department on 2 October 2026 launched the statewide 'Sujala' campaign in Bhubaneswar, with Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra inaugurating the drive and urging citizens to embed responsible water-use habits into their daily routines. The fortnight-long campaign, organised by the Water Corporation of Odisha (WATCO), will run through 16 October 2026 across all districts of the state.
Campaign Objectives and Theme
Centred on the theme 'Water Conservation: A Necessity Today, the Destiny of Future Generations', the 'Sujala' campaign aims to build widespread public awareness around water conservation, the importance of safe drinking water, and the prevention of water-borne diseases. The department noted that the initiative also seeks to promote collective responsibility for protecting water resources and ensuring their availability for both present and future generations.
The campaign's guiding motto — 'Water Supply Is Our Responsibility; Water Conservation Is Your Duty' — defines the complementary roles of the government and citizens: while public utilities ensure a regular and safe supply, the burden of judicious use and waste prevention rests with every individual household and community.
Key Awareness Programmes
Awareness drives under the campaign will address water-borne disease prevention, safe water storage, household hygiene, pollution-free water sources, and the hygienic handling of drinking water. Citizens will be encouraged to adopt practical water-saving measures — turning off unused taps, repairing leaks without delay, and keeping rivers, ponds, tube wells, and other sources free of waste.
The campaign will additionally promote rainwater harvesting, water reuse, regular cleaning of household water tanks, and hygienic storage practices — low-cost interventions that can meaningfully reduce both wastage and disease burden at the community level.
Citizen Engagement and Grievance Redressal
To strengthen public participation and address water-supply-related complaints, the H&UD Department has activated two toll-free helplines — 155359 and 1800-1216-833 — where residents can report issues and seek assistance throughout the campaign period. Officials have urged citizens to use these channels actively rather than letting grievances go unresolved.
Broader Context
The launch coincides with Gandhi Jayanti on 2 October, lending symbolic weight to the call for individual responsibility and community action. Odisha, like much of peninsular India, faces seasonal water stress, with urban demand outpacing infrastructure in several cities. This comes amid growing national concern over groundwater depletion and the increasing frequency of drought years across eastern India. The 'Sujala' drive reflects a wider state push to align urban water governance with sustainability goals before peak summer stress returns in 2027.
Point of View
But its durability depends on what follows the banners and helplines. Odisha's urban water infrastructure has struggled to keep pace with migration-driven demand, and awareness alone cannot compensate for distribution losses or ageing pipelines. The 'Sujala' campaign's most meaningful contribution may be the grievance helpline — a feedback loop that, if properly tracked, could surface the infrastructure gaps that no amount of citizen messaging can fix. The real measure of success will be whether complaint data from the campaign translates into capital expenditure decisions in the next state budget.
NationPress
2 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 'Sujala' campaign launched in Odisha?
'Sujala' is a statewide water conservation awareness drive launched by Odisha's Housing and Urban Development Department and organised by the Water Corporation of Odisha (WATCO). It runs from 2 to 16 October 2026 and aims to promote responsible water use, safe drinking water practices, and prevention of water-borne diseases across all districts of the state.
Who inaugurated the Sujala campaign and when?
H&UD Department Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra inaugurated the campaign in Bhubaneswar on 2 October 2026. The launch coincided with Gandhi Jayanti, reinforcing the campaign's emphasis on individual responsibility.
What water-saving practices does the Sujala campaign promote?
The campaign encourages citizens to turn off unused taps, repair leaks promptly, keep water sources free of waste, practice rainwater harvesting, reuse water where possible, and regularly clean household water tanks. It also highlights hygienic water storage and disease prevention.
How can Odisha residents report water-supply complaints during the campaign?
The H&UD Department has activated two toll-free helplines — 155359 and 1800-1216-833 — for citizens to report water-supply-related issues and seek assistance throughout the campaign period ending 16 October 2026.
Why is the Sujala campaign significant for Odisha?
Odisha faces seasonal water stress and growing urban demand that often outpaces infrastructure capacity. The campaign addresses both public health risks linked to unsafe water and the broader sustainability challenge of groundwater depletion, aligning with national concerns over water security in eastern India.
