Rajasthan: the stop over

Reaching out to the village women, the harbingers of change, in Karoli district

TBS’s work in Gopalpura is 16 years old. Today, it is unshaken by the drought. "When we started working here there was no jungle and hardly we used to get any crop. Drinking water was scarce. Today we are growing pulses, wheat, sugarcane, potato and onions. Even some of us are growing kala jiri a medicinal plant and have sold it at Rs 500 per kg," says 70-year-old Ram Nath. The irrigated land area after water conservation work was done has increased by 500 bighas. The hills are covered with trees and the gauchar area looks green and well stocked. This is the third year in running that rainfall has been less than half in Gopalpura. Even then in this village 200 quintals of kalajiri has been grown.

However, all was not won without much hard work. At first a johad was built through voluntary labour with much trepidation. Then, when people saw the value of a johad and how the groundwater level improved, more joined hands. The work in the catchment area started and more checkdams, anicuts and johads were built. Certain laws had to be implemented. For example, no goats could enter the gauchar in the first three years, cows could not enter till the fifth year and camels till the seventh year.

There are 52 families in the village and land for agriculture is low as two bighas per family. The district administration also posed lot of problems when the people started building johads. When the first johad was built, the Rajasthan irrigation department told the villagers to demolish it. After the people took up afforestation the district administration slapped a fine of Rs 5,995.

According to Rajendra Singh, the reason these villages could still succeed was because the community bonding and decision making process in this village is very integrated and strong.

Fourth stop:
Khoili, Karoli

On the bright sunny winter morning, the mahila mandal (MM, the women’s group) of this village decided to step out and speak up about water conservation and how they are reaping the benefits. Members of other MM participated in the deliberation that only had amused men sitting in the sidelines. "MM and padyatras by women are good beginnings. Women start padyatras from September and the impact has been very positive. Wherever the padyatra went people have been keen to conserve water and make arrangements so that the next rain can be harvested. Today regulation and understanding of value of water is very important. People are forgetting the traditions and that spells doom."

TBS consciously decided to involve women because past experience showed that they are the harbingers of change. Work started in 1996 in this village with around 2,500 strong population spearheaded by the mm. Three old tanks were renovated and a new one was built. This area has the problem of fluoride and therefore ingress of sweet water improved the quality of groundwater.

"There was no water for agriculture and even pulses which need less water would not grow. The old talabs were broken and water used to drain out. Never did the men got together to redress the situation. We had to walk down at least 2-3 kilometres to get water. Men used to go to towns and at least got food to fill their stomach but here we were left out to fend for ourselves," says Choti, an active campaigner for water.

"Last year’s winter rain was harvested in Ram talai (farm ponds that can irrigate at least 80 bighas) the water level increased in the wells around by four feet. Four small irrigation channels were built around the talai and the result is apparent. This year’s sarson (mustard) production has been possible because of the moisture content in the soil. Eight women self help groups worked together for this talai," adds Chotti proudly. Now the women SHG’s have taken up the re-greening of the bare hills around the village too.

Fifth stop:
Shehajpura, Sawai Madhopur

"There has been a four fold increase in the crop after the water conservation work was started in 1997. One kundi , a traditional rainwater harvesting structure were built by TBS and then it was replicated in the village. "Kundi is the life line of this semi-arid region. Now we have sweet water to drink. There are around 20 kundis and there are 125 families. Kundis are for 10-12 families who share the cost. Though drinking water is for all, irrigation water is for only the ones that have aid for the construction," says Charan Singh.

Rare occurance: ample water for a swim to beat the summer heat

"In the initial stage of the construction TBS paid 50 per cent but later the aid was reduced to 25 per cent as it gained popularity. For the Munshiwala kundi the total cost was 90,000 of which the owner paid 45,000.