Himachal Pradesh is aiming to tap rainwater and use it optimally in agriculture and its allied activities. For this a water conservation project with an estimated cost of Rs 4,751.24 crore has been prepared, a Minister said.
The project will be initially implemented in selected water stressed areas of Dharampur, Ladbhadol and Thunag areas of Mandi district, Bamson and Sujanpur in Hamirpur district and Ghumarwin in Bilaspur district with an outlay of Rs 708.87 crore, Irrigation and Public Health Minister Mahender Singh Thakur said.
The Union Ministry of Finance sanctioned the project last week.
A total of 2.691 lakh hectares have been covered with irrigation facilities by July 2017. Still 65,885 hectares are without irrigation facilities. Therefore, one of the primary objectives of the project is to develop the irrigation system by promoting water use efficiency, Thakur said.
With the main focus on the agriculture sector, the project aims to increase the productivity of major crops like wheat, maize and rice. In addition, the impact of climate change on water resources is to be minimized.
The Minister said the project would help in doubling the income of the farmers by 2022-23 through water conservation and enhancing the climate change adaptability.
He said in a statement that they have envisaged strengthening the adaptive capacity of about 2.5 million small and marginal farmers in the Himalayan ecosystem, spread over five basins of the state who would have reduced exposure to climate change risks and water scarcity after implementation of the project.
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Kottayam, Kerala: Depletion. The term, in general, does not augur well for society. More so, if it pertains to groundwater levels. With several districts in the state reporting the phenomenon in recent years, the notion of water security in the state has taken a bit of a hit. While the government machinery has been a little slow to get in on the act, people have voluntarily come forth to conserve water resources in their respective areas. For water is too precious to wait for government intervention.
Even though many of these 'people's campaigns' are local efforts, they have managed to create a sense of awareness among the general public about the importance of water conservation.
While the voluntary initiative of a group of people to revive the tributaries of Meenachil River in Kottayam apparently exploded into a massive movement for the revival and re-linking of three major rivers - Meenachil, Meenanthara and Kodoor, the initiatives being undertaken by some NGOs in Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Thrissur and Kannur have successfully turned into major river revival projects. Why, they have forced various government departments, like Major and Minor Irrigation, Agriculture and Local Self-Government, among others, to chip in.
Things have come to pass that even the government authorities, especially hydrogeologists, confirm such efforts will be instrumental in bettering the groundwater level of the state.
“During the monsoon, water below the amount of 10 per cent usually gets stored in the sub-surface of rivers, which keeps the rivers perennial during the summer," said V B Vinayan, hydrogeologist with Ground Water Department in Idukki.
"The public movement to revive the tributaries and streams supplying water to major rivers is certainly a crucial step towards conserving groundwater.”
At the same time, efforts need to be extended to districts where water is over-exploited, like Kasargod, Palakkad, Idukki, Wayanad and Thiruvananthapuram. For these areas are marked as highly critical with high groundwater fluctuation. With the 'people’s movement' making the government act in earnest towards conservation of water resources, the Haritha Keralam Mission has also come up with various projects for the same. The state and Central groundwater departments are also ready to lend support.
“Though the Central groundwater department does not have financial allocation for such projects, we are ready to provide technical assistance to such efforts,” said V Kunhambu, regional director, Central Ground Water Department.
The Varattar model
The Varattar rejuvenation programme, a successful river rejuvenation project with people’s participation, is poised for a leap. Two of the project’s three phases have been completed. Launched in 2013-14 under the initiative of Eraviperoor grama panchayat president N Rajeev, the project received a boost with the state government making a budgetary allocation. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who inaugurated the third and final phase of the project, declared the government will fund infrastructure facilities worth R40 crore for the construction of four bridges over Adi Pampa and Varattar, the tributaries of Pampa.
The residents along with the Soil Conservation Department of Himachal Pradesh government constructed a dam on small rivulet flowing through the village and now water is being lifted for irrigation purposes in the village.
The people of Kerala are dominantly dependent on underground water. Arrangements will be made for distillation and to expunge impurities from ponds and to recharge the water table through rainwater harvesting. ... Proper and scientific locally adoptive water conservation measures assure water security.
Answers & Comments
Answer and Explanation:
Water conservation project in Himachal Pradesh
Himachal Pradesh is aiming to tap rainwater and use it optimally in agriculture and its allied activities. For this a water conservation project with an estimated cost of Rs 4,751.24 crore has been prepared, a Minister said.
The project will be initially implemented in selected water stressed areas of Dharampur, Ladbhadol and Thunag areas of Mandi district, Bamson and Sujanpur in Hamirpur district and Ghumarwin in Bilaspur district with an outlay of Rs 708.87 crore, Irrigation and Public Health Minister Mahender Singh Thakur said.
The Union Ministry of Finance sanctioned the project last week.
A total of 2.691 lakh hectares have been covered with irrigation facilities by July 2017. Still 65,885 hectares are without irrigation facilities. Therefore, one of the primary objectives of the project is to develop the irrigation system by promoting water use efficiency, Thakur said.
With the main focus on the agriculture sector, the project aims to increase the productivity of major crops like wheat, maize and rice. In addition, the impact of climate change on water resources is to be minimized.
The Minister said the project would help in doubling the income of the farmers by 2022-23 through water conservation and enhancing the climate change adaptability.
He said in a statement that they have envisaged strengthening the adaptive capacity of about 2.5 million small and marginal farmers in the Himalayan ecosystem, spread over five basins of the state who would have reduced exposure to climate change risks and water scarcity after implementation of the project.
⊕⊕⊕⊕⊕⊕⊕⊕⊕⊕⊕⊕⊕⊕⊕⊕⊕⊕⊕⊕⊕⊕⊕⊕⊕⊕⊕⊕⊕⊕⊕
Kottayam, Kerala: Depletion. The term, in general, does not augur well for society. More so, if it pertains to groundwater levels. With several districts in the state reporting the phenomenon in recent years, the notion of water security in the state has taken a bit of a hit. While the government machinery has been a little slow to get in on the act, people have voluntarily come forth to conserve water resources in their respective areas. For water is too precious to wait for government intervention.
Even though many of these 'people's campaigns' are local efforts, they have managed to create a sense of awareness among the general public about the importance of water conservation.
While the voluntary initiative of a group of people to revive the tributaries of Meenachil River in Kottayam apparently exploded into a massive movement for the revival and re-linking of three major rivers - Meenachil, Meenanthara and Kodoor, the initiatives being undertaken by some NGOs in Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Thrissur and Kannur have successfully turned into major river revival projects. Why, they have forced various government departments, like Major and Minor Irrigation, Agriculture and Local Self-Government, among others, to chip in.
Things have come to pass that even the government authorities, especially hydrogeologists, confirm such efforts will be instrumental in bettering the groundwater level of the state.
“During the monsoon, water below the amount of 10 per cent usually gets stored in the sub-surface of rivers, which keeps the rivers perennial during the summer," said V B Vinayan, hydrogeologist with Ground Water Department in Idukki.
"The public movement to revive the tributaries and streams supplying water to major rivers is certainly a crucial step towards conserving groundwater.”
At the same time, efforts need to be extended to districts where water is over-exploited, like Kasargod, Palakkad, Idukki, Wayanad and Thiruvananthapuram. For these areas are marked as highly critical with high groundwater fluctuation. With the 'people’s movement' making the government act in earnest towards conservation of water resources, the Haritha Keralam Mission has also come up with various projects for the same. The state and Central groundwater departments are also ready to lend support.
“Though the Central groundwater department does not have financial allocation for such projects, we are ready to provide technical assistance to such efforts,” said V Kunhambu, regional director, Central Ground Water Department.
The Varattar model
The Varattar rejuvenation programme, a successful river rejuvenation project with people’s participation, is poised for a leap. Two of the project’s three phases have been completed. Launched in 2013-14 under the initiative of Eraviperoor grama panchayat president N Rajeev, the project received a boost with the state government making a budgetary allocation. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who inaugurated the third and final phase of the project, declared the government will fund infrastructure facilities worth R40 crore for the construction of four bridges over Adi Pampa and Varattar, the tributaries of Pampa.
Answer:
The residents along with the Soil Conservation Department of Himachal Pradesh government constructed a dam on small rivulet flowing through the village and now water is being lifted for irrigation purposes in the village.
The people of Kerala are dominantly dependent on underground water. Arrangements will be made for distillation and to expunge impurities from ponds and to recharge the water table through rainwater harvesting. ... Proper and scientific locally adoptive water conservation measures assure water security.