How the Swagrama Project revived 3 lakes in the Western Ghats.
The Western Ghats, a mountain range and a UNESCO World Heritage site, is one of the eight-hot spots of biological diversity in the world. It contains a huge diversity of flora and fauna, many of which are only found in India. They spread over an area of 140,000 square kilometres and traverse the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Unfortunately, like many parts of India, the Western Ghats has undergone massive deforestation. To add to the woes, the local farmers instead of remedying the cause started relying on the borewell technology for harnessing water and started ignoring the natural water catchment areas. The results: soil erosion, dried lakes and low water retention of our land. And that’s where our friends at SARA (Sustainable Alternative for Rural Accord) Centre intervened.
They recognized that the borewell technology was not sustainable and that it was imperative to focus on reviving the lakes to restore the total ecology and help the rural economy. They realised with the enhanced water storage capacity and desilting, the lakes could hold the water throughout the crucial summer months for usage throughout the year. Thereby, increasing the water security of the farmers and increased production from a second crop in the year.
The Swagrama Project identified ten crucial lakes to desilt and redevelop. For the 2020 season, they chose 4 and have already revived 3. The lakes chosen for this season were:
- Makodu Kere (lake) at Muttala village
- Varte Kere (lake) at Muttala Village
- Ghummanamatti Kere (lake) of Baniga village
- KodakeGadde Kere (lake) of Majvana Village — (Work has stopped because of the rains and would resume by the year-end 2020)
Lake no. 1: Makodu kere of Muttala Village
10x increase in water storage capacity to 23 million litres from 2 million litres before desilting. This lake would directly benefit the agricultural land of around 150 acres. Time Spent: 11 days at a cost of $4000
Lake no. 2: Varte kere of Muttala Village
This lake would directly benefit the agricultural land of around 150 acres. Time Spent: 16 days at a cost of $4500
Lake no. 3: Ghummanamatti Kere of Baniga village
5x increase in water storage capacity to 41 million litres from 8 million litres before desilting. This lake would directly benefit the agricultural land of around 130 acres. Time Spent: 23 days at a cost of $6400
One should note that a contractor from the Government would have charged 5x of the amount SARA centre used to finish the work. We are very proud of what they’ve accomplished in such a short time. They earned the trust of the local community and that has been the real key to their success. We will bring you more updates about SARA Centre’s work as it continues to progress. Please join us in our mission to make our Western Ghats farmers have sustainable lifestyles again.
We’d love to hear from you. You can write to us at communications@overseasvbi.org
About OVBI — Overseas Volunteer for a Better India
Overseas Volunteers for A Better India (OVBI) is a 501-©(3), IRS registered non-profit based in the United States with a mission to accelerate social impact projects in India. We are a non-political, non-religious and non-ethnic group managed and governed by Indian diaspora. OVBI Water team’s vision is to transform rural India from the state of Water Poverty to Water Plenty by the year 2030.
About SARA — Sustainable Alternatives for Rural Accord
SARA Centre is a community-driven, artist-run initiative located in Dombekoppa Village of the Shimoga District in Karnataka, India. Established as a platform for dialogue, SARA Centre invites artists, intellectuals, environmentalists, farmers, teachers, and students to share and to raise public awareness about sustainable life practices that specifically address the ecological concerns of the region.
