NGO effort, MGNREGA funds help women restore, repair water bodies in Jhansi dist

By Bharat Dogra*
Maanpur Tank, located in a village of the same name in Babina block of Jhansi district, was constructed during the times of Chandel kings several hundred years back. It is spread well over a hundred acres of land and has been a source of pride for this village for a long time. An irrigation canal that takes off from the outlet of the tank has provided a very important source of irrigation for this village for a long time.
However in recent times the canal and the outlet had been badly damaged so that the irrigation capacity of this tank had been very considerably eroded. Hand pumps became more difficult to operate with water level going down. Many women had to cross the main road to fetch water and an accident injured several of them.
During Covid times there were distress conditions in this village and people badly needed some immediate livelihood support as well. Combining the two needs together Parmarth voluntary organization planned to take up cleaning and repair work in this tank. A Jal Saheli or woman volunteer working on water issues named Geeta made a particularly important contribution for mobilizing people. Later she received the water warrior award from the government and another award from the UNDP as well.
Due to paucity of resources initially Geeta and her co-workers sought to create only a temporary structure made of sand-sacks to plug the seepage. However impressed by their brave efforts, some of the more influential villagers now started coming forward to support them. The panchayat also extended its helping hand so that more durable repair could be taken up. As a result of this the irrigation and water recharge from tank could again become more protective for the village.
Similarly in Lahaar Thakurpura villages of the same development block (Babina) a tank spread over 80 acres of land had been seriously harmed in recent years by heavy siltation and even higher growth of water hyacinth. Parmarth started a campaign for its cleaning and this received a good response from the administration as well, resulting in allocation of MGNREGA funds for its restoration and repair. Some senior officials took a keen interest and personally visited the tank-site to supervise the work.
The removal of hyacinth proved to be a big problem but finally good success was achieved in removing this and a lot of silt. The vast sheet of clean water provided a beautiful view and the administration chipped in with some further stabilization and beautification work. However some of the tiles were obviously fixed hurriedly and already repair work is needed. The lighting work has also been left half-complete.

Some of the most promising work on tank restoration has been taken up by women led by jal sahelis

Some villagers feel that the effort made here will be amply rewarded if some irrigation benefits are also provided. As with repair work there is now more water retention capacity, they feel that an irrigation canal should be created so that the tank can be used for irrigation in addition to its present use for fisheries.

Some of the most promising work on tank restoration has been taken up by women led by jal sahelis in Bara Malhera block of Chhatarpur district. Here in Chaudhri Khera village a much-needed tank had been neglected and had fallen out of use due to certain strong superstitions relating to harm that would come to those who try to reclaim this. Ganga, a jal saheli, challenged these beliefs and mobilized several women in cleaning and reclaiming this land.

This involved not just work relating to removing silt and dirt, but also creating a temporary sack bund on a rivulet to get water flow for the tank to fill up after a long time. After all the brave efforts of Ganga and her friends succeeded, the village has benefited greatly from water in the once condemned tank.
In another village of this block a student Babita Rajput led an effort of several women to dig a 107 meter canal across a hill to bring rainwater collecting in a nearby forest to the village. This work was once considered too difficult to be considered seriously, but once the brave women initiated it, several others also joined it and the work could be completed successfully.
These are just a few examples of how relatively small investments, helped by the bigger contributions of people and particularly women, can provide very cost-effective solutions to situations of water-scarcity. Such efforts should get much more attention, instead of tying up vast resources in massive dam projects whose gains are often lesser relative to investments and in addition there are several serious social and ecological adverse impacts too.
---
*Honorary convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include “When the Two Streams Met”, “Man over Machine” and “Navjeevan”

Comments

Adani coalmine delayed? Australian senate fails to pass crucial "reform" amendment for project's financial closure

Adanis' Mundra power plant, controversial in Australia By A Representative In what is being described as a new “new hurdle”, the proposed Adani coalmine in the Queensland state of in Australia failed to get the crucial Australian Parliamentary nod, essential for financial closure for one of the biggest coalmining projects in the world. The government lost the Senate vote 35-33, meaning the legislation won't pass until the Senate returns in mid-June.

Aurangzeb’s last will recorded by his Maulvi: Allah shouldn't make anyone emperor

By Mohan Guruswamy Aurangzeb’s grave is a simple slab open to the sky lying along the roadside at Khuldabad near Aurangabad. I once stopped by to marvel at the tomb of an Emperor of India whose empire was as large as Ashoka the Great's. It was only post 1857 when Victoria's domain exceeded this. The epitaph reads: "Az tila o nuqreh gar saazand gumbad aghniyaa! Bar mazaar e ghareebaan gumbad e gardun bas ast." (The rich may well construct domes of gold and silver on their graves. For the poor folks like me, the sky is enough to shelter my grave) The modest tomb of Aurangzeb is perhaps the least recognised legacies of the Mughal Emperor who ruled the land for fifty eventful years. He was not a builder having expended his long tenure in war and conquest. Towards the end of his reign and life, he realised the futility of it all. He wrote: "Allah should not make anyone an emperor. The most unfortunate person is he who becomes one." Aurangzeb’s last will was re...

Beyond his riding skill, Karl Umrigar was admired for his radiance, sportsmanship, and affability

By Harsh Thakor* Karl Umrigar's name remains etched in the annals of Indian horse racing, a testament to a talent tragically cut short. An accident on the racetrack at the tender age of nineteen robbed India of a rider on the cusp of greatness. Had he survived, there's little doubt he would have ascended to international stature, possibly becoming the greatest Indian jockey ever. Even 46 years after his death, his name shines brightly, reminiscent of an inextinguishable star. His cousin, Pesi Shroff, himself blossomed into one of the most celebrated jockeys in Indian horse racing.

Haven't done a good deed, inner soul is cursing me as sinner: Aurangzeb's last 'will'

Counterview Desk The Tomb of Aurangzeb, the last of the strong Mughal emperors, located in Khuldabad, Aurangabad district, Maharashtra, has this epitaph inscribed on it: "Az tila o nuqreh gar saazand gumbad aghniyaa! Bar mazaar e maa ghareebaan gumbad e gardun bas ast" (the rich may well construct domes of gold and silver on their graves. For the poor folks like me, the sky is enough to shelter my grave).

Trust, we (from People to PM and President) did not take a Holy Dip in some Holy Shit!

By Dr Mansee Bal Bhargava I could see two deeply interlinked aspects between human and water in #MahaKumbh2025. Firstly, the HOPE that a ‘holy dip’ in the River Ganga (colloquially referred as dubki and spiritually as ‘Snan’) will cleanse oneself (especially the sins); and secondly, the TRUST that the water is pure to perform the cleansing alias living the hope. Well, I consider hope to be self-dependent while, trust is a multi-party dependent situation. The focus here is on the trust and I shall write later on hope.

Hyderabad seminar rekindles memories of the spark lit 50 years ago by students

By Harsh Thakor* History is something we constantly remember and reflect upon, but certain moments and events bring it back to our memory in a special way. For the Telugu people, and Telangana in particular, the memorial seminar held on February 20–21 was a significant occasion to recall the glorious events, transformations, leaders, and heroes of past struggles. Thousands of students rewrote the history of people's movements in Andhra Pradesh, carrying revolutionary zeal and the spirit of self-sacrifice to levels comparable to the Russian and Chinese Revolutions.

State Human Rights Commission directs authorities to uphold environmental rights in Vadodara's Vishwamitri River Project

By A Representative The Gujarat State Human Rights Commission (GSHRC) has ordered state and Vadodara municipal authorities to strictly comply with environmental and human rights safeguards during the Vishwamitri River Rejuvenation Project, stressing that the river’s degradation disproportionately affects marginalized communities and violates citizens’ rights to a healthy environment. The Commission mandated an immediate halt to ecologically destructive practices, rehabilitation of affected communities, transparent adherence to National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders, and public consultations with experts and residents. The order follows the Concerned Citizens of Vadodara coalition—environmentalists, ecologists, and urban planners—submitting a detailed letter to authorities, amplifying calls for accountability. The group warned that current plans to “re-section” and “desilt” the river contradict the NGT’s 2021 Vishwamitri River Action Plan, which prioritizes floodpla...

Vadodara citizens urge authorities to adhere to environmental mandates in Vishwamitri River Rejuvenation Project

By A Representative A coalition of environmental activists, ecologists, and urban planners in Vadodara has issued an urgent appeal to state and municipal authorities, demanding strict compliance with court-mandated guidelines for the upcoming Vishwamitri River rejuvenation project. Scheduled to commence in March 2025, the initiative aims to mitigate flooding and restore the river, but citizens warn that current plans risk violating National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders and jeopardizing the river’s fragile ecosystem, home to endangered species like crocodiles and Indian Softshell Turtles.

Buddhist communities in Michigan protest for Mahabodhi Temple’s return to Buddhist control

By A Representative Buddhist communities in Michigan have staged protests demanding the return of the Mahabodhi Vihara in Gaya, Bihar, India, to full Buddhist control. The Mahabodhi Temple, regarded as the holiest pilgrimage site in Buddhism, is currently managed under the Bodhgaya Temple Act of 1949, which grants a majority of control to non-Buddhists.

How the slogan Jai Bhim gained momentum as movement of popularity and revolution

By Dr Kapilendra Das* India is an incomprehensible plural country loaded with diversities of religions, castes, cultures, languages, dialects, tribes, societies, costumes, etc. The Indians have good manners/etiquette (decent social conduct, gesture, courtesy, politeness) that build healthy relationships and take them ahead to life. In many parts of India, in many situations, and on formal occasions, it is common for people of India to express and exchange respect, greetings, and salutation for which we people usually use words and phrases like- Namaskar, Namaste, Pranam, Ram Ram, Jai Ram ji, Jai Sriram, Good morning, shubha sakal, Radhe Radhe, Jai Bajarangabali, Jai Gopal, Jai Jai, Supravat, Good night, Shuvaratri, Jai Bhole, Salaam walekam, Walekam salaam, Radhaswami, Namo Buddhaya, Jai Bhim, Hello, and so on. A soft attitude always creates strong relationships. A relationship should not depend only on spoken words. They should rely on understanding the unspoken feeling too. So w...

Search This Blog