	*A NEW BEGINNING*
	Urban wetlands meet CSE initiates a core committee
	*IN FOCUS*
	Null and void? A success story? The flouride menace
	*CAMPAIGN*
	Lake in news From the courtroom To save this tal Operation Baikal
	INITIATIVE
	Stories from Dewas Meerut meet Initiating change Sensitising regional media Doosra dasak Glimmer of hope History rewritten HLL harvests Water soliders The kiwi connection Exploring Ahmednagar
	FACE TO FACE
	For my home....
	TECHNOLOGY
	Bamboo-supari pits Countering flouride Techno tit bits
	CSE'S LATEST DESIGNS
	Meet the new harvesters!
	JAL YODHA
	T R Sureshchandra Arun Mathur Shivanajayya K G Vyas R Ramani
	NEWS FROM CHENNAI
	Recharge maps Bank loans for RWH Harvesting in Nilgris The Vengaivasal model 'Water wisdom' in schools
	JAL BIRADARI
	No to bore wells Ghagara revived Jal bhai, Jal bahen
	NEWS FROM GUJARAT
	Charting future City's pride
	CLASSROOM
	FUNDING AGENCY
	WATER WISDOM
	NEWS FROM ABROAD
	Afghanistan: Rebuilding Karez Kuwait: Desert bloom Africa: Stranglehold in Africa
	WATER IN NEWS
	READERS SPACE
	AN OPPORTUNITY
	BOOK/DOCUMENTS
	VISUAL WATCH
	WEB INFO
	EVENT

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Vol. 4

No. 5

October-November 2002

No to bore wells

11-1.jpg (12726 bytes) "We do not need bore wells. By spending a very small fraction of the amount that we would have otherwise spend on digging a well, we can catch still more water,"says Bheema Bhat Hardikar, a farmer from Anavatti, Karnataka. He speaks from his three years of experience in rainwater harvesting that has ensured enough water for the nursery on a part of the 25 guntas of land owned.

Adike Patrika, a local magazine, introduced him with the idea and he decided to implement it. A 700 feet long storm water drain around the farm has been dug. Ten earthen bunds are built at a cost of Rs 250, across the storm water drain. An infiltration pit near the well gets the runoff from the drain. The excess water from the first infiltration pit flows to the second one and then, back to the drain. He has also constructed small trenches to divert all the run off from the neighbouring areas to the storm drain. All these works have yielded good results.

For further information: BBHardikar, Brahmin Street, Anavatti, Shimoga DT 577413 Karnataka, Tel: 0818 - 467110

Ghagara revived

By reviving ghagra, a traditional water harvesting structure, in 2000 the people of Jharbeda village, Sundergarh district, Orissa, has become water sufficient.

Absence of community's interest and destruction of forests and lack of maintenance, reduced it to a garbage pit. Fortunately, people realised their mistake and decided to initiate action. With the technical guidance of a local NGO Disha and a meagre amount of Rs 25,000, stone pitching was done around the pond. A spillway was provided for diverting the excess runoff. The catchment area of the pond was secured. Another pond on the upper reaches of ghagra was desilted. All these efforts have regenerated a five km long stream - watering the downstream fields.

Jal bhai, Jal bahen

11-2.jpg (12613 bytes) The people of village Kishorpura, in Meerut district, Uttar Pradesh, found an answer of their water woes. Janhit Foundation (JF), a local NGO, was the agent behind this change. Enthusiastic villagers are now joining the JF's army of jal bhai and jal bahen to spread the message around.

About a year ago the village was parched. The wells were filled with filth. The existence of the village was threatened. Things took a positive turn, when about nine villagers', who have earlier encroached ponds' land for farming, willingly moved back and works began under JF's guidance. With shramdan (voluntary labour) the village pond and a well were brought back to life. This is just one story with many more ready to surface.