The early monsoons have not only helped the farmers who have built farm bunds but also Jal Dhoot volunteer Bhaskar to convince other farmers about the advantage of the water conservation measures.
The Jal Dhoot has been explaining to the farmers of the village on how to store water in all the five tanks in the village — Malli Kunta, Teegamoti Kunta, Kotha Kunta, Bandapu Kunta and Reedy Cheruvu — to help increase the ground water level.
Underscoring the importance of water conservation, Mr. Bhaskar quoted Central government figures on how 30 crore people had migrated in 10 States searching for water.
Four Waters concept
He has been leading the ‘Jal hi Jeevan hai – Water is Life’ campaign of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) in the village. The focus was more on the Four Waters concept propounded by late T. Hanumantha Rao.
The farmers recalled their own experience of suffering due to water shortage and came forward to construct water conservation structures like new farm bunds (NFB).
As part of campaign 305 soak pits, 225 farm ponds were constructed and tank silt application was done in 185 acres of farm lands in order to improve the improve the productivity of soil and land.
Good response
“The response from farmers is extremely encouraging and they are ready to construct water harvesting structures. Meeting their demand is more important,” Nabard Assistant General Manager G. Ramesh Kumar told The Hindu .
As part of the campaign there has been discussion on farmers going for rain-fed crops instead of water intensive commercial crops like sugarcane.
“I am able to earn about ₹ 1 lakh for an acre of land by going for vegetable crops,” said Armula Yadagiri, who attended a farmers’ meeting jointly organised by a non-governmental organisation PEACE and NABARD in the village.
The Nabard campaign is on in one lakh villages across the country in 200 districts and 21 States.
The campaign concluded on Tuesday in 4000 villages of Telangana and 605 villages in erstwhile Medak district, out of which there are 303 villages where ground water is overexploited.
