Shillong, July 13: Meghalaya became the first Indian state to have a proper water policy after the state cabinet on Friday approved the draft water policy following the detailed discussions and presentation at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma. The policy will focus to provide safe and hygienic water for drinking and livelihood development to all residents of the state. It will also emphasise of rain water harvesting. Where Did Water Come From? 11 Unusual Facts About This Life-Giving Substance.

"Policy intends to achieve sustainable development and use of water resources with community participation. Issues such as protection of catchment areas and river pollution have also been outlined in it," deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong told news agency ANI. Why You Should Drink More Water?

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The draft policy seeks to improve the water management and also states to make rooftop rainwater harvesting mandatory in all building construction. The policy also seeks state's State Dam Safety Organization to carry out safety audits of the dam at periodic intervals. It also aims to prevent degradation of water and promote the principle of reduce, recycle and reuse.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 13, 2019 05:24 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).