Winner of the 2010 National Ground Water award worth Rs 10 lakh, Vruksha Prem Seva Trust of Rajkot in Gujarat has implemented 30 watershed projects since1995 sponsored by Ministry of Rural Development. The trust also undertook the construction of 500 underground tanks for rain water harvesting in 30 villages. The community owned and managed watershed intervention carried out using indigenous and low cost technology has been replicated in 16 more villages. Community participation in the project had positive impact on creating ownership for the project. A study of long term water level trend shows that before implementation of watershed programme, there was overall declining trend in both the talukas but after implementation of watershed programme the groundwater levels are recording a rising trend in both the talukas. This demonstrates the benefits of artificial recharge to groundwater. The total expenditure incurred on the project till March, 2007 was Rs 4.65 crore, benefiting around 28,000 families.
The perfect gift
Built as a farewell gift by Aruna Ludra, a former English Professor at Janki Devi Memorial College, the rainwater harvesting system has been bearing rich dividends. The college is located in Delhi?s Ridge area. Ludra recalls how water used to accumulate outside the college gate and it used to be a task to enter the premises. ?The college is a part of the Aravalli range and is at a height. There used to be a well at the entrance, which was 60 ft deep that had dried up over a period of time. But after we built drains and directed the excess rainwater in the well, it has come back to life,? says Ludra. The water level in the college premises was 35.8 m below ground level (bgl) in May 2002. After implementing the rainwater harvesting system on the campus, water levels rose remarkably. The water level in September 2002 was 22.1m (bgl) while in May 2003 it was 25.0 m (bgl), a rise of 10.6 m even during this peak summer month. The water level in July 2003 was recorded at 35.9 m (bgl). Ludra informs that college has five recharge wells, located at five different locations, each measuring 1m x 1m x 2m. To facilitate groundwater recharge, all structures are provided with 15m deep borewells of 150mm diameter. Layer of bricks filled inside the recharge well ensures proper filtration of harvested water. She even suggested covering each well with a dome to avoid any untoward accidents. The project was implemented in June 2001. The cost of the entire rainwater harvesting system was Rs 80 thousand.?I was offered Rs one lakh by the UGC for my efforts. But I did not accept. After all a gift is a gift,? says Ludra.
India: water availability cost curve
By 2030, water demand in India will grow to almost 1.5 trillion m3, driven by domestic demand for rice, wheat, and sugar for a growing population. Against this demand, India?s current water supply is approximately 740 billion m3. As a result, most of India?s river basins could face a severe deficit by the year 2030 unless concerted action is taken, with some of the most populous?including the Ganga, the Krishna, and the Indian portion of the Indus?facing the biggest absolute gap.
Agricultural water productivity measures contribute towards closing the water gap, increasing ?crop per drop? through a mix of improved efficiency of water application and the net water gains through crop yield enhancement. These include technologies of improved water application, such as increased drip and sprinkler irrigation. The full suite of crop productivity measures includes no-till farming and improved drainage, utilisation of the best available germplasm or other seed development, optimising fertiliser use, and application of crop stress management.
The least-cost set of levers ? those on the left-hand side of the cost curve ? is dominated by these agricultural measures in India, which can collectively close 80 percent of the gap and includes both irrigated and rain-fed crop production measures. In addition to the agricultural opportunity, lower-cost supply measures constitute the remaining 20 percent required to close the gap, delivered mostly through the rehabilitation of existing irrigation districts and the ?lastmile? completion of earlier projects such as canals. The total annual cost for the combined set of supply and agricultural levers is approximately $6 billion per annum ? just more than 0.1% of India?s projected 2030 GDP.