The unprecedented drought experienced in the rural areas of the district the previous year has reflected in the Thiruvananthapuram district panchayat’s annual budget for 2018-19, with much focus being given to water security and related issues.
Jalasree, a comprehensive project for the conservation of water resources in the district which was launched last year, got a hefty allocation of ₹200 crore. In her budget speech on Wednesday, district panchayat vice president A. Shailaja Begum listed out the achievements under the ‘Jalasree’ project since its launch.
Over 1,850 ponds dug
A total of 1,797 farm ponds have been created in private plots and 62 farm ponds in public land in the district. The work was carried out as part of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
A total of 48,000 rainwater harvesting pits and 3,891 check-dams have been constructed. Maintenance works have been carried out on several kilometres of canals. Recharging of 1,139 wells have been done till now and 1,961 new wells constructed. The recharging of wells in the district’s government schools and hospitals is progressing, with a plan to finish it before the arrival of summer rain.
According to district panchayat president V.K. Madhu, the local body was concerned about the implementation of the project when it was launched, but a clear plan and proper execution on the ground aided in yielding results.
Jala sabhas
“Ninety-nine percent of the grama panchayats in the district have convened the jala sabhas, which carry out the work at the local level. Creation of farm ponds has been a successful initiative. Vamanapuram block panchayat is leading in this respect, with the maximum number of such ponds. We did not expect that private parties will give consent to ponds being dug on their land, but the response has been great. The biggest success of this programme is that we could create an awareness among the public of the need to conserve water,” he said.
He said that recharging of wells had not met the intended targets. Jalasree is being implemented with the participation of people’s representatives, residents’ associations, volunteers and organisations like Kudumbasree.
