The Vellore district has taken an initiative to improve the quality of groundwater, which was polluted in many parts. Keeping the rural women engaged under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) was involved in restoring water sources in nine blocks.
The nine blocks covered are Alangayam, Anaicut, Gudiyatham, Jolarpet, Kandhili, Madhanur, Natrampalli, Pernambut and Thirupathur. The total works cost ₹33 crores and the remaining 1,491 recharge well works are being phased to be completed soon, an official of DRDA said.
District Collector S.A. Raman in a meeting emphasised that in order to reduce rain water waste, the State Government has mandated rain water harvesting for buildings, which resulted in the increase of groundwater table to some extent in respective area with better water quality.
Similar to that note it was decided to rejuvenate water channels and river basins with recharge wells and check dams, which are expected to increase groundwater level and quality, he said.
“The workers have created recharge wells to let the rainwater infiltrate the soil by slowing it down,” says Chandrasekaran Kuppan, director of the Naganadhi Rejuvenation Project.
Vellore DRDA project director P. Periasamy, recounts the success story. 4,828 locations were identified in nine blocks for digging recharge wells and administrative sanction was accorded for 3,768 recharge wells and 476 boulder / gabion check dams (GCD) was sanctioned and 2,289 recharge wells and 349 boulder/ gabion check dams has been completed.
“Gabion Check dams were built adjacent to recharge wells wherever necessary,” Mr. Periasamy said. Each GCD cost between ₹64,000 and Rs. 1.25 lakh based on their size. The balance works will be completed before August 2019 and this will be more useful for the community after the next monsoon rains, he said.
