JSA Khowai team assess various water conservation structures

A Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA) team of central government officers visited the district of Khowai in Tripura between 17th and 20th July, 2019 and made the following observations in the intervention areas specified under the JSA campaign.

Key Intervention Areas under JSA are - Water conservation and rainwater harvesting; Renovation of traditional and other water bodies/tanks; Recharge and Reuse Structures; Watershed development; and Intensive afforestation.

The team comprised Central Nodal Officer (CNO) - Shri Kamkhenthang Guite, Economic Adviser, Ministry of Jal Shakti, D/o Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation; Block Nodal Officers (BNOs) - Shri Rajender Kumar Kureel, Director, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, and Smt. Saroj Jaisia, Director, Ministry of Rural Development, D/o Land Resources; and Technical Officers (TOs) - Smt. D. Rabha, Scientist D, Central Groundwater Board, and Shri Chandramohan T, Scientist D, National Institute of Hydrology, Belgaum.

They visited the 6 Blocks of the district, namely, Khowai, Padmabil, Teliamura, Tulasikhar, Kalyanpur, and Mungiakami where the annual average rainfall is 2570 mm. River Khowai and its tributaries are the major source of surface water. The river is rain fed and transports large volumes of water during the monsoon season causing floods in the lower portion of the valleys. Key Observations under each of the JSA interventions:

Water conservation & Rain Water Harvesting (RWH): Check dams constructed primarily for agri-horticulture and pisciculture purposes constitute the main water conservation measure in Khowai District. Check dams are constructed on small streams and gullies along the foot hills for pisciculture and also, to some extent, for irrigation. Desilting and clearing of weeds were recommended to increase the storage capacity of check dams and water tanks.

Rooftop rainwater harvesting has not been practiced either in private or public buildings, though the institutional framework for urban areas is in place. The state government has made it mandatory to have a rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge plan for buildings having 5000 sqm or more built up area.

The District proposes to take up rainwater harvesting in schools, Aganwadi Centres, government offices and hospitals during the current financial year. The team recommended that rooftop rainwater harvesting is adopted in villages located on the hill top and are facing water scarcity. However, artificial recharge of groundwater is not recommended since depth to ground water level is very shallow and could cause water logging.

Renovation of traditional water bodies/tank: Numerous small water bodies – tanks and fishery ponds have been observed which also act as recharge/storage structure of ground water. Cleaning up of these water bodies and removing weeds and encroachments was recommended to enhance water storage capacity and to preserve these traditional water bodies.

Reuse, borewell recharge structure: Groundwater is extracted for drinking water supply and for irrigation purposes. The District reported 145 deep tube wells and 351 functioning small bore tube wells for supplying drinking water and 58 deep tube wells for irrigation. Though groundwater availability is, in general not a concern, officials reported drying up of some deep tube wells which need to be examined by experts. As part of the campaign, the District proposes to take up 11 deep tube wells with recharge structures. Watershed Development: Watershed development sites under the Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) were visited in Kalyanpur and Tulashikhar Blocks. An ongoing watershed development project in Kalyanpur Block was recommended for inclusion in the District action plan for completion during the campaign.

Intensive Afforestation: Khowai gives special focus to intensive afforestation as the campaign period coincides with plantation season. Apart from CAMPA and other funds of the Forest Department, the District administration will provide MGNREGA funds for taking up massive plantation drives under the JSA. Plantation has been taken up in abandoned jhum fields, on river banks and along the roads/highways. Schools students, public leaders and the general public have been involved in the plantation activities as a part of public awareness campaign for the JSA.

Special Interventions: The District had identified department-wise schemes/activities which have relevance for Jal Shakti Abhiyan and in some cases has set the physical targets to be achieved during the financial year 2019-20. These were discussed during the District level meeting when the Central team recommended that the district action plan needs to objectively focus on activities that would be taken up during the campaign period; and each activity included in the plan should have corresponding physical and financial plans.