Participative, people-based solutions have proven to be the most effective for water-scarcity issues, says Bharat Dogra, focusing on the Bundelkhand area which is increasingly water-starved. Making the entire water effort more responsive to people’s real needs will make it possible to create conditions in which such volunteers and activists can make much better and effective contributions, he says
As the water-crisis spreads to many areas, participative, people-centered solutions based on an understanding of local situations are gaining attention, particularly at the grassroots level, with volunteers and activists taking forward these solutions. The Jal Saheli (jal sahelis are groups of women, especially in the Bundelkhand region, who revive water bodies) initiative, for example, has mobilised hundreds of women as ‘water volunteers’ and their contributions have already been recognised and appreciated officially, including at high levels. Making the entire water effort more participative and responsive to people’s real needs will make it possible to create conditions in which such volunteers and activists can make much better and effective contributions.
Bundelkhand in Central India has been in the news frequently for water scarcity. However, aside from special drought years, the problem here is often not so much of less rainfall as not being able to conserve rainwater or manage the available water properly. In fact, Bundelkhand can be seen as a water-abundant region – it has adequate rainfall, plenty of rivers and a rich traditional system of collecting rain water.
Bundelkhand normally receives about 900 to 1000 mm annual rainfall. It has a network of seven major rivers – Chambal, Sind, Betwa, Dhansan, Ken, Tons and Yamuna – and ten smaller rivers with numerous tributaries. The region had also been rich in traditional water collection sources. A report titled Problems and Potential of Bundelkhand with Special Reference to Water Resource Base was prepared by the Centre for Rural Development and Technology and Vigyan Shiksha Kendra. The CRDT-VSK Report noted several special features of Bundelkhand, including the fact that deforestation has left little scope to capture the rainwater and transport it to ground-water levels. “Because of the Vindhyan plateaus flanked by high steep cliffs, this region has an unusually high rate of water run-off gushing towards the north, creating deep gorges and rapids. This has meant greater problems of water retention,” the report states.
Following this overview of the water situation in Bundelkhand, we present here some effective, mostly low-cost ways to combat water-scarcity in Bundelkhand:
(i) Revival of traditional water sources
As the CRDT-VSK Report says. “Notably, the reservoirs constructed at the foothills by the Chandelas between the ninth and thirteenth centuries and by the Bundelas later, are still existing, partially fulfilling the need for irrigation and even drinking water in their respective areas. All these reservoirs seem to have been scientifically designed with provision of spillways for surplus water. Some reservoirs are found to have been connected with canals which were used as recharging sources for the down-stream irrigation wells and/or for irrigating the fields directly. In addition, check dams, weirs, barrages, wells, step-wells (bavdis) and artesian wells were constructed. Bundelkhand has, thus, a glorious tradition of reservoirs, tanks, ponds, wells, which have gone into disuse in certain parts of the region.”
Adequate resources should be made available for repair, cleaning and maintaining traditional water sources, to protect these sources and their catchment areas. Efforts should be made to understand how the traditional systems work, and renovation work should be carried out on the basis of this understanding. Local people should be closely involved not only in the actual work but also in the planning.
(ii) Undertaking new water-harvesting work
Taking inspiration from these traditional structures, new tanks, check dams, field-ponds and wells need to be created. In patha or plateau areas, there is good scope for creating very low-cost drinking water sources by tapping small natural springs and creating small well-like structures around them to keep water clean. MGNREGA offers a good opportunity for water-harvesting and water-conservation work on a significant scale.
In a paper titled ‘Solving water problems of Bundelkhand’, P.R. Pisharoty, well-known expert on water-related issues, has made some specific recommendations:
- Contour-bunding can be carried out on gently sloping terrain.
- Construction of multiple water ponds in each village, with catchment areas fifty to hundred times the surface area of each, helps. They should be at least eight feet deep, as the average evaporation over the Bundelkhand area is two to three metres of water per year. Water from some of these tanks can be pumped into deep wells to recharge ground water.
- Individual houses or housing complexes should have underground, cement lined ‘reservoirs’ into which the rain water falling on roofs and open spaces can be led through closed pipes or channels.
- Shallow broad percolation tanks should be created to increase ground water recharge.
iii) Protecting forests and planting more trees
As forests in the region have been badly depleted in recent years, there is a clear need to protect whatever is left and to plant many more trees. A massive effort for afforestation of the hills with the close involvement of the public, particularly the weaker sections, should be undertaken. As afforestation is not easy on denuded hills, soil and water conservation efforts must come first. The CRDT-VSK Report emphasises the role of grasslands. “Development of grasslands, as sources of fodder for cattle is necessary to prevent cattle grazing in the hills slopes. Grasslands, apart from providing fodder and contributing to the success of afforestation of hills, will help soaking of the rain and recharging groundwater.”
iv) Restricting practices that increase water scarcity
These include: (a) restrictions on excessive groundwater extraction (b) restrictions on destructive mining practices, including sand mining on river beds, and (c) restrictions on highly water-intensive crops.
v) Encouraging local innovations
Innovations can play a very important role. Mangal Singh, a farmer scientist of Bundelkhand, has invented the Mangal Turbine (water wheel) which meets various requirements. Apart from lifting water, it can be used for pumping water from the rivulets and streams on which it is installed. It can also be used for several rural tasks such as grinding wheat, crushing sugarcane, threshing and winnowing, oil extraction, etc. It provides a clean alternative (non-conventional) source of energy in remote rural areas for increasing agricultural productivity, income and employment.
(The writer is a senior freelance journalist and author who has been associated with several social movements and initiatives. He lives in New Delhi.)
from Webdoux