The Hindu : Training programme for Neeru-Meeru staff gets under way

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jan 18, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Training programme for Neeru-Meeru staff gets under way

By Our Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD Jan. 17. As a result of shortcomings and deficiencies identified in the planning and execution of Neeru-Meeru works, the Government has decided on a comprehensive training programme for field staff involved in the project before the next phase begins in March this year.

The Engineering Staff College of India, which was commissioned to carry out the evaluation work, has also been entrusted with initiating the training programme and on Friday the first of the one day training for capacity building was kicked off with Neeru-Meeru officials of Ranga Reddy district in attendance.

The training will cover methods of selecting cost effective technologies, evolving a participatory approach, impact assessments, water audits and effective water use and conservation techniques suitable for local conditions. The aim of the training programme is to help the field staff avoid repetition of mistakes which have been identified by the ESCI in its evaluation study.

A total of 70 workshops and training programmes have been planned till the end of February and will eventually include senior officers involved in policy-making.

Speaking on the occasion, T. Hanumantha Rao, Chairman, Technical Committee of Neeru-Meeru, elaborated on the "Four Waters Concept'' which he has developed. "Four Waters'' refers to rain, soil moisture, groundwater and surface water. The targets set by this model is to have water running in the main stream of each watershed months after the end of monsoon, to assure minimum water even during drought years, to ensure that runoff is not muddy but clean and to maintain water in dug wells all through the year.

Mr. Rao claimed that with the proper use of this method, dry irrigation area could be increased by four times. By relying only on earthen works, it ensures that costs are drastically reduced as well as brought within the reach of individual peasants. It also envisages greater equity in water availability between those whose fields are in the valley and those whose fields are on the ridge.

Sailaja Ramaiyer, Project Director, DPAP, Ranga Reddy district, welcomed the training programme and said local projects to develop minor or micro-water resources were going to be the future of securing water. Water may become a point of contention and conflict not only between nations and states but also even between and within villages. This can be avoided only if water resources are developed and managed properly at the local level, she said.

S. Nagabhushana Rao, Director, ESCI, Mohd. Yaqoob, programme consultant, and S. Ranga Rao, project coordinator, spoke.

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