Agriculture is the backbone of India’s economy. As a nation, we ought to be proud of the farmers who sweat it out in the fields to produce the crops that make up our meals. Indeed, the Indian farmer has the capacity to feed the entire nation if properly trained and given equal prospects.
However, in reality, it shows a very different, dismal picture. Natural calamities like drought and floods make the crops, and ultimately the farmers, suffer. The loss is unbearable as these calamities are occurring more often these days. Being at the mercy of nature is bringing the losses for farmers at most of the times, especially farmers from the low rainfall region.
To fight against these conditions, Lokmangal Foundation has initiated Lokmangal Jalsandharan Pattern B.B. This pattern is the irrigation scheme mainly to improve water availability. After thorough research, we design the plans to manage the water resources in a particular area. We take the necessary measures to turn those plans into reality.
This project has turned out to be a huge success wherever it has implemented. With this project, water availability for farming has improved, per ton yield has boosted up, water table has enhanced and the farmers from respective regions are appreciating the prosperity. We are happy that with our small efforts we can bring the smiles on the faces of people who feed us. We are aiming to eradicate the issue of water availability from most of the regions.
NEED OF THE HOUR – USE, CONSERVE & MANAGE WATER PROPERLY BECAUSE EACH & EVERY DROP COUNTS.
To increase the storage capacity of Hipparga Lake by removing silt (black soil) from a 26 km long stretch along the sides of the Hipparga Lake and distribute it to the farmers for free. The soil is lab tested and is excellent for the cultivation of crops. We plan to remove at least 1.25 lakh trucks of soil in the current season.
Hipparga Lake is the largest water reservoir near Solapur city. It was built circa 1866. The total storage capacity of the lake is 3.33 TMC. But the excessive accumulation of black soil over the years has resulted in the reduction of storage capacity by almost 45%.
To suggest further extension in the scope and recommend some upcoming technologies and programs that can be used. This project demonstrated the benefits of proper water management. Also, this project was not just limited to constructing of canals but also included removal of siltation in lakes so as to increase its water holding capacity and building of recharge water shaft. In addition to quenching parched fields and throats, the project has also become a model for others to adopt.
Bibi Darfal is the longest known canal constructed by the Lokmagal Foundation. The entire process included the following steps:
· Appropriate selection of site based on the water needs
· Arranging the required funds
· Getting the required approvals from the Government and the farmers of the fields from where the canal flows
· Constructing the new canal by cleaning and enlarging the capacity of an existing canal (The capacity is increased by deepening the bed and enlarging the bed width.)
· Constructing embankment at appropriate locations on the canal
In the rainy season, village canals are filled up but water doesn’t percolate due to siltation in the canals and this water gets evaporated after some months. Recharge shafts were installed in the channel of Bibi Darfal water conservation project by Lokmangal Foundation. By constructing recharge water shafts in canals, this water is recharged to groundwater. Top of the shaft is kept at half of the full supply depth of tank. Shaft is filled with filter material like boulders, gravel and coarse sand. Shaft should end in more permeable strata, below the top impermeable strata.
