Wells and Step-wells

Waternama is a collection of traditional practices for water conservation and management in Karnataka. The book is produced by Communication for Development and Learning and edited by Sandhya Iyengar.
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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.

The Mazhapolima program is quite unique; it aims to (eventually) recharge about 4.5 lakh dug wells in the district, and do this through community awareness and action. It's driven by the District Collector, Mr. Kurian Baby, who strongly advocates sustainable, local development & innovation.

A Gram Panchayat (GP) in Kerala is fairly large, and has a population of approximately 20000 people, as compared to about 10000 in Karnataka, and about 700 in Uttar Pradesh. GP's have ward divisions, about 20 of them per GP. Each GP has a staff of at least 6-8 people. The GP that we visited - Adat, had about 12 employees , 4 lower division clerks, 3 upper division clerks, 1 Joint Secretary, 1 Secretary, 2 peons and 1 sweeper. Except for the peons and the sweeper, the employees are all usually SSLC-pass, but here in Adat they were mostly graduates. For salaries alone, the GP spends about Rs 1.5 lakhs per month. Adat GP executed 124 projects last year. The GP's annual budget was Rs 1.40 crores, not including NREGA funds. Out of this, Rs 40 lakhs was raised by the GP through property taxes etc. Most other parts of the country, GP budgets are only about 5 to 10 lakhs. The Adat GP office was a large 2 storeyed building. Mr Vijayan, the Joint Secretary proudly showed us their awards, which filled up an entire wall.

For the total of 6-lakh households in Thrissur district, there are a total number of 4.5 lakh open/dug wells. As per the 2001 census, 71% of the total population of the district depends on open wells for drinking. Estimates indicate that the aggregate household investment in open wells comes to about Rs. 1,800 crores and the wells have a combined capacity to yield 6.6 million m3 per day. Though the average annual rainfall of the district is about 3,000 mm, about 70% of these wells are non-perennial. Additionally, because of heavy surface run-off, groundwater levels in several blocks have fallen sharply, and coupled with saline intrusion at an accelerated pace, have led to water quality problems. In order to address the issues of quantity, quality and sustainability, the Thrissur district administration in collaboration with the PRIs have launched a process driven, participatory well re-charge programme called Mazhapolima, with an overall goal to improve the health and welfare of communities through improved access to drinking water.

The words above are from a user & beneficiary of the Ask A Question Service on the India Water Portal, powered by a collaboration with WES Net.

"Megh Pyne Abhiyan" is a network of NGOS that has been working in flood affected areas in Bihar with Arghyam support for the past few years. MPA has been grappling with the idea of providing clean water and sanitation in Bihar.

Both Mohenjo daro and Harappa reported wells in every household and also community wells. They are perhaps the oldest in the subcontinent. Here is one open well from the Konark temple in Orissa. These must have been the sole providers of good clean water during that time and one of them continues to provide water for the repair work underway.

S.

RANI KI-VAV PATAN

As ground water levels decline in India, Persian Wheels cannot reach the water to draw them out from open wells. One such Persian wheel stands forlorn and frustrated as the water table has dipped in Kolar, Karnataka India. This wheel has worked for the last 80 years and 2007 was the first time that the water table fell and the wheel could not work for the day.