Functions of the Village Water and Sanitation Committee (VWSC)

(1) The functions of the VWSC shall be to : (a) Identify and recommend the catchment area to the District Drinking Water Catchment Area Protection Board through the Executive Committee. (b) Preserve, conserve and protect the drinking water catchment areas, springs, streams, rivulets, lakes, glaciers and water sources through various water harvesting intervention and prohibiting felling of trees. (c) Recommend appropriate method of management of catchment areas vis-a-vis the activities customarily practiced in such areas to the District Board through the Executive Committee; (d) Be the custodian of the water sources. (e) Traditional practices for e.g captivating mithuns for a particular period in a limited area that may be detrimental for water resource shall be identified by the Village Water and Sanitation Committee (VWSC). The VWSC shall bring behaviour changes by influencing the community practices and shall promote sustainable way of water resource management. The department under whose jurisdiction the catchment area falls may take necessary measures to initiate action and report it in public domain. (f) Maintain status of water sources with yearly records of discharge of respective sources with support from concerned PHE Division. (g) Initiate proposals for catchment area protection works where the source depletion is alarming or considerable and recommend the same to the District Executive Committee. (h) To assess whether any pollution is being caused in the upper reaches of its water sources by villages located if any in the upstream side of the sources. In such cases, the matter shall be taken up with the other VWSC's involved for amicable solution or shall be reported to the local administration for appropriate disposition of the matter. (i) To provide input to the Executive Committee in preparation of the Master Plan. (2) The VWSC shall meet as often as may be necessary but not less than 4 times in a year.