Accepted Papers - 3.pdf - UNESCO

Work Done Storage No. of Area No. of Avg. Avg. Depth
Cap.(MCM) wells benefited Farmers Depth of of water in
benefited (Ha.) benefited water in wells (m)
wells (m)
Before After
Water Diversion by
Underground Pipeline 4.67 180 900 180 14.63 2.44
The above arrangement also does not require
any revenue expenditure on a perennial basis, except
the checking and cleaning of the pipeline for any
blockage. The schematic diagram of the
arrangement and the photograph of the BARDA
BHANDARA are given below. This project created
an example of how the joint efforts of the
community and NGO can make the positive
difference. The adjoining farmers are now
cultivating Rabi crops, which was distant dream for
them previously.
02. Inter-linking of waterbodies through link
water channels :
Taking a cue from the traditional wisdom and
the much hyped “inter-linking of rivers” project,
ACF initiated an innovative project called “interlinking
of local rivers through open canals.” The
basic concept behind the scheme is diverting water
from surplus area to water deficit/scarce area.
In Kodinar taluka, a lot of water from the rivers
flows every year into the sea. These rivers drain the
local watershed area and most of the water is lost to
the sea. ACF studied the problem and a plan was
conceptualized and formulated to divert water from
excess zone to deficit zones and thereby minimize
the outflow to the sea. Due care was taken in the
scheme to include the network of existing water
harvesting structures and water bodies like tidal
regulators, ponds etc. At the same time, it was
planned to help the water to remain within the area
for a much longer period than the past for facilitating
maximum recharge of the local aquifers.
Studying the watershed dynamics and excess
capacity in the existing rivers during monsoons, the
potential sinks (rivulets, ponds, percolation tanks
etc.) and the shortest possible route to these sinks
were identified with the help of villagers by ACF.
The direction and route the overflowing water
420
acquires was taken up for inter-linking with the water
bodies. The local know how was utilized to the
maximum extent to ensure that the local farmers
benefit maximum from the proposed network and
least amount of water is lost through run-off.
The following steps have been undertaken for interlinking:
� Inter-linking of existing tidal regulators
through pipelines.
� Construction of radial canals from existing
tidal regulators.
� Construction of canals from river to village
ponds.
� Deepening of ponds and rivers to increase the
water holding capacity.
� Building of check dams, waste-weirs or
percolation tanks to increase the water recharging
capacity in the watershed.
� Linking up of water bodies like percolation
tanks and ponds by constructing link water
channels.
Case of village Mitiaz, Devli, Kadodara, Damli and
Pipli
The above inter-linking project was started in
1999-2000 involving above five adjacent villages
to benefit from the excess water of river Goma. The
village ponds in all these five villages were first
deepened to increase the water holding capacity. An
inter-linking canal was simultaneously constructed
to connect these ponds.
During monsoon, the Goma stream over flew
and the water got collected in the Mitiaz pond. After
the water level in this pond crossed the stipulated
level, it automatically got diverted to the
downstream village ponds one by one. The table
below gives the details of the work done and their
impacts: