WATER CONSERVATION

Building 25 checkdams in Palghar district to ensure year round availability of water to 25 villages

Anyone who can solve the problems of water, will be worthy of two Nobel prizes – one for peace and one for science – John F. Kennedy

Summary

Water is a precious gift from mother nature, which sustains and nourishes thehumans and the ecosystem. Right to water is a basic human right, but for many tribal villagers in India, it is a distant dream. Lack of water becomes one of the biggest obstacles to development and prosperity of  the community. Water scarcity has become the single largest threat to the food and securityof the society. Who knows this problem, more than  the farmer in Rural India, where lack of water ( or the proper management of it) leads them to a vicious cycle of, poor crops, debt, migration in  search of employment, poor sanitation and a shrinking green cover. Only water can break this never ending cycle of poverty and underdevelopment. A lot of these problems can be addressed by ensuring that availability of water is maximised from natural resources and which can be managed by the community through Water Conservation. Check Dams underline the concept of giving back to nature the limited resourceof life sustaining Water and bestow tremendous bounty upon the people.

Benefits of Check dams

1. Ensures year round availability of water by storing the water during rains.
2. Farmers can take upto 3 crops during the year instaed of the single crop, ensuring more income.
3. Stops migration in search of employment and freedom from the Debt Trap.
4. Reduces burden on women and girls who have to travel long distances for the daily household requirements of water.
5. Proper sanitation facilities.
6. Improves the underground water levels, thereby ensuring year round water from wells and water pumps.
7. Green cover for the entire area.
8. Drought protection during the period of scanty rainfall.

Challenge

We have identified 25 villages in Palghar district which are facing similar problems and where creation of Check Dams would make a meaningful difference in their lives and their communities. These sites have been selected after detailed study done by ………., in  onsultation with the Maharashtra state dept.

Solution

We propose to build 25 Check Dams in this region, coveringa radius of kms and covering villages, benefitting villagers. This would ensure that close to million literes of rain water would be harvested and ensures year round availability of this precious life giving resource.

Impact

These Check Dams would ensure the year round availability of water to the villagers, thereby enabling them for:

1. Multi Crops during the year by Crop Rotation leading to overall improvement in their financial condition.
2. Help them come out of Debt Trap and also stem Migration to Urban areas in search of employment.
3. Rise the overall water table in the area, thereby ensuring sufficient water in the wells for drinking, sanitation and daily needs.
4. Raise the green cover in the region.

PROJECT INFORMATION

Appeal

Come join us, in ensuring that these people are not displaced from their roots and are able to develop a sustainable livelihood in harmony with nature. Let us respect this precious life giving resource “Water” which mother nature has bestowed on us and channelize it for the holistic development of the farmer and supporting Ecosystem.