MDA & IRRAD : Water projects in Mewat

From: IRRAD Connect Volume 6 Image & Content Courtesy:IRRAD

In Mewat, the ground water is depleting at the rate of about 25 cms a year and salinity is increasing in many parts. The rising water salinity is affecting crop yield and limiting the choice of crops that can be grown. About 80% of the total geographical area in Mewat is cultivated. Of this total cultivated area, only 44% falls under the irrigated area, the rest is rain fed area. For the irrigated area the source of water is almost exclusively (95%) ground water, but it is very limited, generally enough only for one crop a year. It also includes pockets of saline water which is not fit for cultivation of most of the crops grown in that area. About 30% of households own wells or tube wells. Fast ground water depletion and seasonal variation of tube well yields is a matter of concern leading to low crop intensity. This is especially true in the villages where IRRAD is working. To check these rising water concerns a tailor made, integrated water management plan was needed for each village, with the first step being the study of topography, water flow, soil characteristics and traditional knowledge. Subsequently, the designing of appropriate interventions to harness and conserve water is undertaken. To this effect, IRRAD has carried out technical interventions like the check dams, gully plugs, recharge wells, soak pits, roof water harvesting etc. Taking water as an entry point of development work, IRRAD has intervened in many villages, expanding its activities to 17 villages. In order to further the water management activities, a water wise relationship between public and non profit sector has been affected to ensure safe drinking water to the villages in Mewat. IRRAD is executing water management projects in the region floated by Mewat Development Agency (MDA). MDA is the statutory body responsible for the development of Mewat district. In recognition of the water interventions carried on by IRRAD at the grassroots, MDA has given the foundation a special consultative status for all infrastructural development related to water in the district. The MDA project is divided in two parts; Groundwater Recharging and Integrated Watershed Development Program (IWDP) which form part of Wasteland Development Project. The first part involves raising the storage level of existing Check Dam at Kotla, Provision of Check dam at Bangali Khola, Kotla, construction of a check dam at village Bhond and the second project in Rangala Rajpur entails construction of a Kuchha road to school, enhancing the rain water harvesting capacity, leveling and surface treatment of existing bandh etc. The check dam project in Kotla in Mewat was undertaken to bridge an area called Bangali Khola, a part of village Kotla. IRRAD strongly believes in the fact that the community needs to buy in the concept in order to bring about sustainability and replicability of the project and the same is stressed at the village level. Our interactions with the community build pave the way for building strong foundations, after which the community comes forward to contribute in the project; either in cash or labour. In the project referred above, the community themselves decided to contribute a minimum of Rs 25,000 in the project. Some of the community members showed their reluctance to contribute but were convinced that the contribution would be kept as a Maintenance Fund with the Panchayat, and would be used incase any repair comes up in future. The poorest of the poor in the villages could not contribute but the community still managed to pool in Rs.25, 000 towards the project. Under the second project on Integrated Watershed Development Program (IWDP); an area development project at Rangala Rajpur, various ponds have been dug and linked to maximize the utilization of existing 1.5 kms long earthen bandh constructed by the Sehgal Foundation four years back by deepening the areas under water cover so that its storage capacity can be increased and the risk of breach minimized. Few other interventions having direct impact on the community members are construction of Kuchha road to school in Rangala Rajpur, which was in such a bad condition that it formed puddles of water and posed great risk for children. The tangible outcome from the project would be additional crop growth, cultivation of 50 acres of fallow land, 40 acres land saved from flooding and an attitudinal change in the neighborhood. This project seeks to provide a boost to irrigation by lifting 300 acres land, pisciculture (fish rearing), establishment of horticulture nursery and deep rooted tree plantations to improve recharging. The check dam at Bhond collects rainwater on a catchment area of over 5 sq. kms and seeks to check the depletion of water table. The ground water table in Bhond is depleting by 1 ft. every year and in order to check this, a check dam has been established to enable percolation of water. This check dam is expected to recharge the ground water about three times of the total demand of water in village Bhond and would check the expansion of ground water salinity towards the village. His Excellency, the Governor of Haryana, Dr. A R Kidwai addressed a gathering in Rangala Rajpur village in Mewat district of Haryana on February 25, 2009 where he dedicated the rainwater harvesting infrastructure established in these areas to the village communities. To Access Press Release click here