Irrigation

Ashok Jaitly, Water Resources Department, TERI
Policy issues in water conservation

Habil Attarwala, Furaat Earth Ltd., Gujarat

The issues related to planning and implementation were largely concerned with water quality, budgeting and equity.

The group deemed it necessary that the following are addressed on a greater priority:

1. Centralized vs. decentralized rainwater harvesting
2. Water quality aspects in rainwater harvesting system
3. Water quality management through rainwater harvesting

This presentation provides information on the process that needs to be followed to construct a deep tube well for agricultural purposes in Pavalangudi village of Vridhachalam Taluk, Cuddalore district, Tamilnadu. The extent of area is 100 acres. The presentation covers three stages of ground water exploration - surface, subsurface methods, well development and the methodology adopted.

This case study published in Yojana documents Megh Pyne Abhiyan's work in organising access to safe drinking water for rural communities during the 2006 and 2007 floods in North Bihar. As a result of the Abhiyan's work, approximately 13000 and 36000 people accepted and accessed rainwater as a safe drinking water during the North Bihar floods of 2006 and 2007 respectively. Using rain water for drinking led to significant improvement in health indicators and flood-related deaths and sickness, as well as reduction in health expenditure.

Work taken up focussed on promoting direct seeding instead of transplantation in the paddy crop. As a result of this, about 30% reduction in water consumption was achieved covering about 1100 acres in 5 states. Farmers could also reduce their production costs by upto Rs.1400/acre.  

The work taken up includes lift irrigation projects, construction of small check dams, rainwater harvesting, promotion of horticulture and timber plantation, promotion of composting and cattle vaccination.

Water harvesting and conservation work was taken up through building check dams, rooftop rainwater harvesting, building percolation and drinking water wells, deepening of ponds, micro-irrigation, cropping pattern interventions and more.

The various initiatives taken up include installing sensors/push type tap for hand wash/urinals, close loop hydro testing, installing drip irrigation and sprinklers for garden, installing float valves for old overhead tank, using percolated rain water for process, use of AC condensed water, use of air cooled instead of water cooled compressors, treating waste water and more.

This has been possible through initiatives such as putting in end hose control systems into use, replacing raw water points with treated ones, providing push type taps in toilets, installing leak/spill control clamps, rationalising wash points, mechanising tray cleaning, optimising water pressure, improving condensate recovery, introducing sprinkler/drip irrigation for its gardens, rainwater harvesting, wastewater treatment and more.

“Few people know how to take a walk. The qualifications are endurance, plain clothes, old shoes, an eye for nature, good humor, vast curiosity, good speech, good silence and nothing too much.”

What kind of a walk must have Ralph Waldo Emerson had, to pen down these lines?