As many as 228 rainwater harvesting projects taken up under Amrit Sarovar scheme in Belagavi district have been completed, say officers. All these have been taken up under MGNREGA Scheme.
The works taken up under the Jal Shakti Abhiyan are expected to provide drinking water to cattle and water to fields and improve groundwater levels.
One of the biggest and most difficult projects was the digging of a tank atop a hill in Gajapati village in Shabandar Gram Panchayat near Hukkeri.
As many as 250 women worked on the site for nearly three months.
“They hauled rocks by hand and moved them aside to dig the pond. It is nothing less than a wonder. Residents of nearby villages are reporting that water levels in open wells and borewells have gone up,” said Vishveshvarayya Hiremath, local convenor of Grameena Kooli Karmikara Sangha, a federation of MGNREGA workers.
A team of Jal Shakti Abhiyan officers inspected some sites and issued instructions to local officers to submit a detailed report on the works taken up under the Abhiyan.
Nodal Officer D.V. Swami has asked zilla panchayat officers to study the benefits of this initiative at the grassroots level and carry out a scientific study on groundwater and submit a report to the District Senior Geological Scientist.
Rainwater harvesting and water conservation were the main objectives of the Abhiyan and it is set to be achieved by MGNREGA and other schemes.
Mr. Swami said that along with water conservation, rainwater harvesting, traditional and other water sources, renovation of lakes, refilling of tubewells, watershed development and afforestation works should be taken up.
Water resources should be developed with the help of self-help groups and other organizations.
Works under NRLM should be taken up to involve the members of SHGs and water user societies and other groups. Awareness should be created to motivate government offices, schools and colleges to build their own rainwater harvesting structures on their premises.
Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Rahul Shinde said that they planned to increase the number of rainwater harvesting structures in the future. “We hope to double the number of such works in the coming year,” he said.
