ಅಟಲ್ ಭೂಜಲ ಯೋಜನೆಗೆ ಪ್ರಧಾನಿ ಮೋದಿ ಚಾಲನೆ

ಅಟಲ್ ಭೂಜಲ ಯೋಜನೆಗೆ ಪ್ರಧಾನಿ ಮೋದಿ ಚಾಲನೆ

೧೫ ಕೋಟಿ ಗ್ರಾಮೀಣ ಮನೆಗಳಿಗೆ ೫ ವರ್ಷಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಪೈಪ್ ನೀರು

ನವದಹಲಿ: ಅಂತರ್ಜಲ ರಕ್ಷಣೆ ಹಾಗೂ ಉತ್ತಮ ನಿರ್ವಹಣೆ ಮತ್ತು ೧೫ ಕೋಟಿ ಗ್ರಾಮೀಣ ಮನೆಗಳಿಗೆ ಕೊಳವೆ ಮೂಲಕ ನೀರು ಒದಗಿಸುವ ಸಲುವಾಗಿ ಸುಮಾರು ೬೦೦೦ ಕೋಟಿ ರೂಪಾಯಿ ವೆಚ್ಚದ ಅಟಲ್ ಭೂಜಲ ಯೋಜನೆಗೆ ಪ್ರಧಾನಿ ನರೇಂದ್ರಮೋದಿ ಅವರು  2019 ಡಿಸೆಂಬರ್ 26ರ ಬುಧವಾರ ವಿಧ್ಯುಕ್ತ ಚಾಲನೆ ನೀಡಿದರು.

ಈಗಾಗಲೇ ಕೇಂದ್ರ ಸಂಪುಟವು ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ ಅಟಲ್ ಭೂ ಜಲ ಯೋಜನೆಗೆ ಅನುಮತಿ ನೀಡಿತ್ತು. ಈ ಹಿನ್ನೆಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಮಾಜಿ ಪ್ರಧಾನಿ ಅಟಲ್ ಬಿಹಾರಿ ವಾಜಪೇಯಿ ಅವರ ೯೫ನೇ ಜನ್ಮ ದಿನಾಚರಣೆ ಅಂಗವಾಗಿ ಈ ಯೋಜನೆಗೆ ಪ್ರಧಾನಿ ಮೋದಿ ಚಾಲನೆ ನೀಡಿದರು.

೨೦೨೦ರಿಂದ ೨೦೨೫ರೊಳಗೆ ಈ ಮಹತ್ವದ ಯೋಜನೆಯನ್ನು ಅನುಷ್ಠಾನಗೊಳಿಸಲಾಗುವುದು. ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ, ಗುಜರಾತ್, ಹರಿಯಣ, ಮಧ್ಯಪ್ರದೇಶ, ಮಹಾರಾಷ್ಟ್ರ, ರಾಜಸ್ಥಾನ ಮತ್ತು ಉತ್ತರಪ್ರದೇಶ ಸೇರಿದಂತೆ ಏಳು ರಾಜ್ಯಗಳ ಕೆಲವು ಆದ್ಯತೆಯ ಪ್ರದೇಶಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಅಂತರ್ಜಲವನ್ನು ಹೆಚ್ಚಿಸುವ ಮಹತ್ವಾಕಾಂಕ್ಷೆಯ ಯೋಜನೆ ಇದಾಗಿದೆ ಎಂದು ಪ್ರಧಾನಿ ಹೇಳಿದರು.

ಅಂತರ್ಜಲ ರಕ್ಷಿಸುವ ಈ ಯೋಜನೆಯಿಂದ ಏಳು ರಾಜ್ಯಗಳ ೭೮ ಜಿಲ್ಲೆಯ ಸುಮಾರು ೮,೩೫೦ ಗ್ರಾಮ ಪಂಚಾಯ್ತಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಲಾಭವಾಗುವ ನಿರೀಕ್ಷೆ ಇದೆ.

ಕೃಷಿ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರ ಸೇರಿದಂತೆ ವಿವಿಧ ರಂಗಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ನೀರಿನ ಪೋಲು ತಡೆಯಲು ನಾವು ತಂತ್ರಜ್ಞಾನವನ್ನು ಬಳಸುವ ಅಗತ್ಯವಿದೆ ಎಂದು ಪಧಾನಿ ಹೇಳಿದರು.

ವಾಜಪೇಯಿ ಅವರ ೯೫ನೇ ಜನ್ಮದಿನದ ಅಂಗವಾಗಿ ಹಿಮಾಚಲ ಪ್ರದೇಶದ ರೋಹ್ತಂಗ್ ಪ್ಯಾಸೇಜ್ ಮಾರ್ಗಕ್ಕೆ ’ಅಟಲ್ ಸುರಂಗ’ ಎಂಬುದಾಗಿ ಮೋದಿ ಅವರು ನಾಮಕರಣ ಮಾಡಿದರು.

ಕಡಿಮೆ ನೀರು ಬಳಕೆ ಮಾಡುವಂತಹ ಬೆಳೆಗಳನ್ನು ಬೆಳೆಯುವಂತೆ ರೈತರನ್ನು ಆಗ್ರಹಿಸಿದ ಪ್ರಧಾನಿ ದೈನಂದಿನ ಮನೆ ಬಳಕೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಅಮೂಲ್ಯವಾದ ನೈಸರ್ಗಿಕ ಸಂಪನ್ಮೂಲವಾಗಿರುವ ನೀರನ್ನು ವ್ಯರ್ಥ ಮಾಡಬೇಡಿ ಎಂದು ಜನತೆಗೆ ಸಲಹೆ ಮಾಡಿದರು.

ವಿವಿಧ ಅಗತ್ಯಗಳಿಗೆ ಕಡಿಮೆ ನೀರು ಬಳಕೆ ಖಾತರಿ ನೀಡುವಂತಹ ತಂತ್ರಜ್ಞಾನಗಳನ್ನು ಕಂಡು ಹಿಡಿಯುವಂತೆ ಪ್ರಧಾನಿ ನವೋದ್ಯಮಗಳಿಗೆ (ಸ್ಟಾರ್ಟ್‌ಪ್) ಕರೆ ನೀಡಿದರು.

ಪ್ರಸ್ತುತ ೧೮ ಕೋಟಿ ಗ್ರಾಮೀಣ ಮನೆಗಳ ಪೈಕಿ ಕೇವಲ ೩ ಕೋಟಿ ಮನೆಗಳು ಕೊಳವೆ ಮಾರ್ಗದ ಮೂಲಕ ಬರುವ ಶುದ್ಧ ಜಲವನ್ನು ಬಳಸುತ್ತಿವೆ ಎಂದು ಮೋದಿ ಹೇಳಿದರು.

ಅಟಲ್ ಭೂಜಲ ಯೋಜನೆಯು ಉಳಿದ ೧೫ ಕೋಟಿ ಗಾಮೀಣ ಮನೆಗಳಿಗೆ ಮುಂದಿನ ೫ ವರ್ಷಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಕೊಳವೆ ಮಾರ್ಗದ ಮೂಲಕ ನೀರು ಒದಗಿಸುವ ಯೋಜನೆಯಾಗಿದೆ ಎಂದು ಪ್ರಧಾನಿ ನುಡಿದರು.

'ನೀರೆಚ್ಚರ' ಬಿಡುಗಡೆಯ ಹೊತ್ತು...!

'ನೀರೆಚ್ಚರ' ಬಿಡುಗಡೆಯ ಹೊತ್ತು...!

ಪತ್ರಕರ್ತ ರಾಧಾಕೃಷ್ಣ ಭಡ್ತಿ ಅವರ ನೀರೆಚ್ಚರದ ಬರಹಗಳ 5 ಪುಸ್ತಕಗಳ ಬಿಡುಗಡೆ ಸಮಾರಂಭ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ಚಾಮರಾದ ಪೇಟೆಯ ಕುವೆಂಪು ಕಲಾಕ್ಷೇತ್ರದಲ್ಲಿ (ಗಾಯನ ಸಮಾಜದ ಎದುರು- ಕಿಮ್ಸ್ ಹಿಂಭಾಗ) ಏಪ್ರಿಲ್ 11ರ ಭಾನುವಾರ ಬೆಳಗ್ಗೆ 11 ಗಂಟೆಗೆ ನಡೆಯಲಿದೆ.

ಶ್ರೀ ರಾಘವೇಶ್ವರ ಭಾರತೀ ಸ್ವಾಮೀಜಿ ಅವರ ಸಾನ್ನಿಧ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆಯುವ ಸಮಾರಂಭದಲ್ಲಿ ಹಿರಿಯ ಪತ್ರಕರ್ತ ನಾಗೇಶ ಹೆಗಡೆ, ವಿಜಯ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಸಂಪಾದಕ ವಿಶ್ವೇಶ್ವರ ಭಟ್, ಕಿರುತೆರೆ ನಿರ್ದೇಶಕ ಟಿ.ಎನ್. ಶಾಂತಾರಾಮ್, ಜಲ ಪತ್ರಕರ್ತ ಶ್ರೀಪಡ್ರೆ, ವಿಜ್ಞಾನಿ - ವಿಜ್ಞಾನ ಬರಹಗಾರ ಹಾಲ್ದೊಡ್ಡೇರಿ ಸುಧೀಂದ್ರ ಪಾಲ್ಗೊಳ್ಳಲಿದ್ದಾರೆ.

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ಶ್ರೀಪಡ್ರೆ 'ಪಾಠ' ನಿರಂತರವಾಗಿರಲಿ...!

ಶ್ರೀಪಡ್ರೆ 'ಪಾಠ' ನಿರಂತರವಾಗಿರಲಿ...!

ಇತ್ತೀಚೆಗೆ ಹಳೆಯ ಪುಸ್ತಕಗಳನ್ನು ಅವಲೋಕಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾಗ ಶಾಲಾ ಮಕ್ಕಳ ಪಠ್ಯ ಪುಸ್ತಕವೊಂದು ಸಿಕ್ಕಿತು. ಅದರ ಮೇಲೆ ಕಣ್ಣಾಡಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾಗ ಶ್ರೀಪಡ್ರೆ ಅವರ ಈ 'ಮಳೆಪಾಠ'ದ ಹಾಳೆ ಗಮನ ಸೆಳೆಯಿತು. ಶ್ರೀಪಡ್ರೆ ಅವರ ಜನ್ಮದಿನದ ಸಂದರ್ಭದಲ್ಲಿ ಈ 'ಮಳೆಪಾಠ'ದ ನೆನಪು ಮಾಡಬೇಕೆನ್ನಿಸಿತು.

ನೆತ್ರಕೆರೆ ಉದಯಶಂಕರ

ಶ್ರೀಪಡ್ರೆ ಅವರ ಮಳೆಪಾಠ ಕೇವಲ ಮಕ್ಕಳಿಗಷ್ಟೇ ಅಲ್ಲ, ಎಲ್ಲ ವಯೋಮಾನದ ಮಂದಿಗೂ ಅತ್ಯಗತ್ಯ. ಆ ಕೆಲಸವನ್ನು ಅವರು ನಿರಂತರ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಲೇ ಇದ್ದಾರೆ. ವಿವಿಧ ಪತ್ರಿಕೆ, ನಿಯತಕಾಲಿಕಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ನಿರಂತರವಾಗಿ ಮಳೆಕೊಯ್ಲು ಬಗ್ಗೆ, ನೀರುಳಿತಾಯ ಮಾಡುವ ಪರಂಪರಾಗತ ವಿಧಾನಗಳ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಹೇಳುತ್ತಲೇ ಇದ್ದಾರೆ. ಕಟ್ಟ, ಸುರಂಗ, ಮದಕ, ಟಾಂಕಾ.... ಅವರು ಪತ್ತೆ ಹಚ್ಚಿದ ಮಳೆಕೊಯ್ಲಿನ ವಿಧಾನಗಳ ಪಟ್ಟಿ ಸುಲಭದಲ್ಲಿ ಮುಗಿಯುವಂತಹದ್ದಲ್ಲ.

 'ನೆಲ ಜಲ ಉಳಿಸಿ', 'ಮತ್ತೆ ರೂಪಾರೆಲ್ ಬತ್ತಲಿಲ್ಲ',  'ಹನಿಗೂಡಿಸುವ

 ಹಾದಿಯಲ್ಲಿ',  'ಗುಜರಾತಿನ ನೀರ ತಿಜೋರಿ ಟಾಂಕಾ', 'ನೀರ ನೆಮ್ಮದಿಗೆ ನೂರಾರು ಹಾದಿ' ಇತ್ಯಾದಿ ಪುಸ್ತಕಗಳೆಲ್ಲ ಅವರ ಆಳ ಅಧ್ಯಯನದ ಹೆಗ್ಗುರುತುಗಳು ಎಂದರೆ ಖಂಡಿತ ತಪ್ಪಲ್ಲ. ಕಾಸರಗೋಡು ಜಿಲ್ಲೆಯ ಪಡ್ರೆಯಂತಹ ಪುಟ್ಟ ಹಳ್ಳಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಇದ್ದುಕೊಂಡೇ ಅವರು ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿರುವ ದೊಡ್ಡ ಕಾರ್ಯವನ್ನು ಸಮಾಜವೂ ಗುರುತಿಸಿದೆ ಎಂಬುದು ವಿಶೇಷ. ಹಾಗಾಗಿಯೇ ಒಂದೆರಡಲ್ಲ, ಏಳೆಂಟಕ್ಕೂ ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿಗಳು ಅವರ ಹೆಗಲೇರಿವೆ.

ಶ್ರೀಪಡ್ರೆ ನೇತೃತ್ವದಲ್ಲಿ ಆರಂಭವಾದ 'ಅಡಿಕೆ ಪತ್ರಿಕೆ' ಎರಡು ದಶಕಗಳನ್ನು ಪೂರೈಸಿ ದಾಪು ಹಾಕುತ್ತಾ ಮುಂದುವರೆಯುತ್ತಿದ; ಪತ್ರಿಕೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಈಗ ಕಂಡು ಬರುತ್ತಿರುವ ಕೃಷಿ ಅಂಕಣಗಳಿಗೆ ದಿಕ್ಕು ತೋರುತ್ತಿದೆ.

ಪ್ರಿಯ ಶ್ರೀಪಡ್ರೆ, ನಿಮಗೆ ಜನ್ಮದಿನದ ಅಭಿನಂದನೆಗಳು. ನಿಮ್ಮ 'ಮಳೆ ಕೊಯ್ಲಿನ ಪಾಠ' ನಿರಂತರವಾಗಿರಲಿ ಎಂದು 'ಪರ್ಯಾಯ' ಹಾರೈಸುತ್ತದೆ.

 

Water is no pipe dream here

Water is no pipe dream here

Konkodi Bhat's simple pipe system at his home in Dakshina Kannada allows the family to use rainwater for half the year and lets the excess recharge the open well for usage in the remaining months. His easily replicable technique can successfully reduce groundwater usage in heavy rainfall areas.

Shree Padre.

Konkodi Thirumaleshwara Bhat lives with his family in Idkidu village near Puttur in Dakshina Kannada district. They have an open well and a borewell in their house premises. But they don't need to use either of these for almost six months in a year—thanks to a simple pipe system that Bhat has devised. This system directs rainwater to a tank from which they use water for their day-to-day use and also send the overflow to recharge the open well. 

Idkidu receives an average rainfall of 3500 mm. The 1,000-square-feet ground floor roof serves to catch water not only for domestic use of this four-member family, but for the cattleshed and other needs of this farming family too. Since 2003, the family has not had to switch on the

ir open well motor from 15 May to 15 November each year. 

Rainwater from the roof goes to an old open tank that was fortunately already placed at a desired height. The bottom of this tank is six feet above the ground. This tank, with a height of seven feet, has a capacity of about 14,000 litres.

 Water is allowed to fill up to 5.5 feet and then it starts overflowing. The excess water gets filtered in a locally made filter and pours into the open well. In this process, the tank holds upto 11,000 litres of water. As the rainwater is used for non-potable purpose, it is not filtered. 

"Only if there is no rain for 15 consecutive days do we run the open well pump. But such instances are very few," says Shailaja, Bhat's wife. "During the monsoon we lift a few pots of filtered water from the well for drinking and cooking. The water is safe—nobody catches a cold. Previously when we were using borewell water, we used to boil it before drinking." 

How it all started 

Bhat constructed this house in 1996. The open well was dug only in 2003. Till then, they were using borewell water for drinking and other domestic needs. At that time, they were using the roof water to recharge the borewell. In 1992, a campaign for rain harvesting started in this village, including a house-to-house survey. Amrutha Sinchana Raithara Seva Okkoota (Farmers' Service Federation), a local farmers' organisation had taken the initiative in this movement.

Most of the families started harvesting rain in one way or the other. The media named Idkidu as 'water literate village'.

 It started drawing thousands of visitors from near and far. 

Bhat recalls, "Our entire village was contributing towards water conservation. I too thought I should join in. How could I conserve rain here? That question generated this idea." 

Automatic

deposit 

Bhat has devised the pipe system such that once the tank fills up to 5.5 feet, the excess water, on its own, flows down and empties into the open well. For this, a manual act like rotating ball valve is not necessary. How is this done then? "It's pretty simple. I have just used common sense," explains Bhat, showing the pipe fitting. 

A second pipe is fitted to the pipe that carries roof water to the tank. This has been done vertically, using a 'T'. This pipeline then goes horizontally through a second 'T' and finally vertically down. Height of the first vertical pipe is important. It's the maximum height to which water can be raised on gravity from the ground floor roof. An open elbow with its face upwards is fixed to the upper 'T'. This is to permit the air to leak out lest it block the water flow. 

From here, the excess water goes to a circular tank. Centre of the tank has a cement bucket like filter. The filtered water flows down to the open well. The recharge process goes on almost everyday during monsoon. 

This daily use cum open well recharge system cost this family Rs.1000 in 2003. 

It has been reducing their groundwater use by about five to six months a year since then. The family has learnt to use water very judiciously when there is plenty and let the excess deposit in the well. Once the monsoon is over, withdrawal from the well starts. Bhat's idea of making small savings has paid off rich dividends. 

Replicable technique 

Bhat has this tip for those who want to adopt this system: "This system can be done in houses with only ground floor roof. Nowadays everybody keeps the ground floor roof or the terrace at 12 feet above ground level. So, construct your tank so that its lower level is at least six feet above the ground. You can fill this tank upto six feet. Keep the capacity of the tank as per your requirement." Adds Shailaja, "The water pressure in the taps will not be high. But then, higher the pressure more the wastage." 

Have anybody followed this idea? "Thousands of people have come, seen and appreciated," replied Shailaja. "A few have shown keenness to implement this. Maybe some might have already done so. But we haven't got any information on this so far." 

Bhat's pioneering success in reducing the groundwater use by half has shown a way for others as to how to make their water management sustainable in heavy rainfall areas. In the Dakshina Kannada district, many industries, institutions and even farmhouses that are unfortunately borewell dependent, can learn a lesson or two from Bhat's example. 

The options are many. If the roof water can be stored in the tank and brought to the taps on gravity, as Bhats have one, use of energy can be totally saved. Excess water can be used for open well/borewell recharge. If daily water requirement is large, like in institutions and industries, large Ferro cement water tanks – maybe underground - can be built that can be connected with filtered roofwater. 

This will completely do away the groundwater requirement for a minimum of five months, that is, 150 days, a neat 41 per cent. This means saving that much of electricity that otherwise is required to pump water from the 300 to 400 feet. More important is that with that considerable rest each year, the life of borewell will improve. More so if all the excess water after use is recharged in a proper way. 

It is high time the rain-rich areas look at rainwater as a valuable resource and start utilising it instead of sending it away. This forethought would make most of the water management systems here sustainable and 'tanker proof'. ⊕ 

K T Bhat's telephone: (08251) 281 138

Courtesy:  http://www.indiatogether.org

One-man-army greens barren land

One-man-army greens barren land 

This 58-year-old illiterate farm labourer has developed irrigated farming at a hilltop in the Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka. His hard work, vision and never-say-die attitude have turned the land around and he now advises visiting farmers.

 Shree Padre

Farmers who visit Amai Mahalinga Naik's two-acre plot on the hilltop near Adyanadka in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka return spellbound. Irrigated farming at this height is very surprising. This 58-year-old illiterate farm labourer has developed this with his own labour.  His hard work, vision and never-say-die attitude have turned around destiny in his favour. 

"There was no greenery here," says Naik. "This was a barren hilltop where only some dry grass grew earlier," he recalls. The neighbouring areas that are still barren corroborate his statement. 

A skilled farm labourer since his teens, Naik's main occupation was harvesting arecanut and coconut. As a freelance harvester, he earned the goodwill of the surrounding garden owners. One such farmer helped him to get this two-acre plot on the hilltop on assignment from the government. This was in the late seventies. First, he built a small hut and started living there with his wife and children. The land had a natural slope. Naik had always dreamed of developing an arecanut farm of his own. Now, though he owned land, the odds were against him. To plant arecanut, the land needs to be leveled. 

The possibility of getting water was also rare. To dig an open well, he needed money to pay the workers. It had to go very deep to strike water. That would have been prohibitively expensive. Chances of collapsing were very high. So, an open well had to ruled out. At this juncture, the idea of suranga struck to him. 

Four failed surangas, and success in the fifth 

It was the only option. For one, he could himself do the digging in his spare time, while still earning his daily wages. Harvesting of coconut and arecanut is a half-day affair. In the afternoon, like a one-man army, Naik would dig a suranga. The work progressed. But the moot question remained: "Will I get water?" 

The villagers called this is a futile exercise. How could water be there at that height was the question. Mahalinga Naik turned a deaf ear to these murmurs. Though the first suranga was a failure, he did not stop his efforts. One after another, he dug four surangas painstakingly. In total it must have taken him more than a year's spare time. But there was no jeevjal anywhere! 

Anybody else would have been disappointed at this stage. But not Naik. He went higher on the hill and started digging. A passing villager told him, "The only way to get water there is to p--s."

To this Naik replied, "Keep waiting, one day I will direct this water through a pipe and grow a garden here. 

This time, lady luck smiled on him. He struck a good water source. The next task was to level the land. His wife Lalitha could not offer much help as the children needed looking after. But Naik was undeterred. He dug the soil, filled it in a basket and transported it supporting himself on his knee - a very hard task for anybody to do continuously. Using this strenuous method, he created four level plots in a phased manner. Once the water was assured, he planted 300 arecanut trees, 40 coconut trees and some pepper wines. All are yielding now. 

Wall building adventure 

Since the terrain has a slope, good soil conservation steps were inevitable. Wherever lands are leveled, the end with freshly leveled soil needs to be protected with stone walls. Unfortunately, there were no stones nearby. Everyday, while returning from work from the valleys, he would bring a stone on his head. With such small but consistent efforts, he was able to construct stone walls by the sides of all his leveled plots. In total, these walls must be made of around 5,000 to 6,000 stones. If done today, it would require at least 200 man-days just for the construction. As per the present wage rate, this would require around Rs.25,000. Bringing the stones from half a kilometre distance would be more costly. 

After the success of his fifth suranga, he has dug one more. This supplies water for drinking and domestic use. He has constructed three separate tanks to store the suranga water. Irrigation is done with sprinklers and hose-pipe. 

Unfortunately, six years ago, he fell down from a coconut tree while working in a nearby farm. With a fractured leg, he had to be treated in a city hospital for months. This accident swallowed Rs.70,000 of his hard-earned savings. Thereafter, he had to bid goodbye to tree climbing.

Though he is able to attend to small works, climbing trees and squatting is painful. 

Due recognition 

Acknowledging his hard work and self-development, Varanashi Agricultural Foundation (VAF) of Adyanadka presented him 'Varanashi Farmer of the Year Award' in 2003. Though illiterate, he takes interest in new developments in farming and attends many farmers' meets. On hearing about rainwater harvesting in one such meeting, he implemented it silently. In the topmost portion of his property, he dug hundreds of percolation pits. In addition, he made some checks in the drainage channel above his plot that takes the run-off away. "These steps have benefited me a lot. If only we check the rainwater, there won't be drought. Now the water flow from my main suranga has increased considerably," he says. 

Recently he built a small tank to collect all the grey water (water used for washing and bathing). When full, this is used for irrigation. In a small area, he grows azolla as food supplement for his cows. Agricultural wastes are composted before using them as manure. 

Organic farming 

Under the influence of the organic movement being spread by VAF, Naik has completely bid goodbye to chemicals. Aided by his wife, he grows a variety of vegetables - cowpea, sweet potato, brinjal, ladies finger, etc. These are also irrigated by the suranga water. 

One innovation of his is to raise a small bund inside his suranga. Says he, "With this, my suranga acts as a temporary tank. Once it fills, I use it to irrigate my plots located downhill. The water flows because of gravity. This enables the sprinkler jets to work there." 

Another interesting 'personality' in his farm is his dog, Bollu. When he was young, the dog used to play with ripe arecanuts. Mahalinga has trained Bollu to collect arecanuts. Today, it picks up all the arecanuts from his farm. Naik just accompanies Bollu with a basket in hand. It takes half an hour for Bollu and the master to complete the chore everyday. 

Naik is a soft-spoken man; he doesn't curse anyone or complain, even though he fell while working in somebody else's farm and that has cost him dearly. He is a symbol of optimism. "I'm able to run the family happily just because I don't spend much and don't booze," he shares his secret. Except for occasional hand loans from relatives, he hasn't borrowed loan from banks. The only time he has got government subsidy was while constructing his house, that too only of Rs. 1000. "I always plan my days so that at the end of the day, I should save at least five rupees and not end up as a borrower," he says. 

Dr Varanashi Krishnamoorthy who heads VRF says that Mahalinga Naik is a role model for many small farmers. He notes that VRF gets many visiting farmers' groups asking for different kinds of information. "We send some such groups to Naik's farm. We also suggest them to pay a fee of Rs.250 for the time he spares for them. This year, we must have sent quite a few groups there. They are happy to see his one-man development first hand," he says. 

Courtesy: http://www.indiatogether.org

Oh! Walkathan for water !

Oh! Walkathan for water !

Wherever he goes he searches for water related issues or water related photos. He is Shree Padre, journalist from rural area. Last week he was in Rajasthan on a tour for seminar and village visits to see waterworks in Rajasthan.

He sent one photo he shot at Rajasthan.

Governments, one after one, spend crores of Rupees to provide drinking water to urban people. If a day goes without water, urban people start agitation and pelt stones on public transport vehicles!

But what is the pathetic condition of rural people?

Even today they have to walk miles together to get a potful of water. It is the condition of not one or two days. Entire year woman folk in several villages even today walk miles to get water while several urban people waste it, even without thinking for just a minute about village conditions.

Photo shot by Shree Padre here tells one more such story. Isn’t it?

Thanks Shree Padre for mailing this photo.

-Nethrakere Udaya Shankara

Bit by bit, he filled his well

Bit by bit, he filled his well

S Ganesh Mallya, a high school teacher cum Sunday farmer in Yedapadavu in Karnataka, has greened his plot without borewells. Using simple techniques to catch rainwater, he has managed to raise the water level in his open well and grow a bountiful farm.

Shree Padre

This small plot in obscure Yedapadavu in Karnataka is an unusual manmade forest. It's so thickly populated with plants, that to plant one more, you have to uproot an existing one.
Ten years ago, this was barren laterite land that grew only grass. Forget trees; there was not a single shrub or bush. Today it has hundreds of plants and fruit bearing trees including jack, mango and coconut. "All this was possible because I could catch rain here," says Ganesh Mallya, a high school teacher cum Sunday farmer, who has been responsible for this green transformation.

S Ganesh Mallya, 58, is to retire this December. It was his long cherished dream to have his own farm. His house in Mangalore doesn't have the space to grow even potted plants. So about a decade ago, he bought a plot of 0.37 acre here in Yedapadavu, an hour's drive from Mangalore.
There were borewells all around this plot. "You won't be able to manage without a borewell," neighbours and well-wishers warned him. Mallya didn't like the idea of a borewell; it was also more expensive. At this juncture, his colleague Ganapathy Bhat urged him not to lose heart. On inspecting a neighbour's well, he assumed that the water table of the area was good. "In this area of heavy rainfall, you might strike water in an open well," Bhat suggested.

Open well fails
Unfortunately, the open well failed. At 45 feet depth, there was water, but not enough to lift in a koda, the water vessel. In that summer, Mallya had to stop the compound wall construction halfway because of lack of water. Deepening the well again didn't help much. "If I drew 80 to 100 kodas a day, the well would almost dry up. It would again require three to four days for refilling," he recalls.

One of the labourers who had worked on the deepening project had earlier suggested digging rain pits and catching rain. But Mallya hadn't paid attention to this. After a few months, he came across Adike Patrike, a Kannada monthly run by farmers. It was running a series on success stories of rainwater harvesting done at low cost by ordinary citizens. Mallya thought of trying his hand at this.

In 2001, he constructed a new house on his plot in Yedapadavu. At that time, he had had three infiltration pits dug — each of the size 4 feet X 4 feet X 10 feet. They were filled the coarse sand and jally (granite stone bits). There was immediate benefit. This land slopes towards the road. The surface run-off that used to wash away lot of top soil and even some sown seeds was stopped. Next year, the water level in the well rose to two feet.

Catching water at every opportunity
Mallya has since not wasted a single opportunity to catch water. Run-off from the neighbouring school made his compound wall collapse one monsoon. Instead of fighting with the school authorities, Mallya raised the wall again, this time leaving a small hole in between. Mallya directs this water into his site through a catch pit. He considers this water that his neighbour treats as waste as a bonus for his own land.

For the initial couple of years, to protect his mango plants, he had kept earthen pots near each of them. (In areas where there is severe shortage of water or on hills where water can't be easily transported, earthen pots filled with water are kept near the bottom of the plants. These ooze out water in small amounts and are usually manually refilled once empty.) Mallya too would manually refill these pots every week.

As his conviction in rainwater harvesting increased, he tried out another method. He selected a site where some more run-off was still gathering and dug an infiltration pit there. Along with increasing the subsoil (soil beneath the topsoil), catching water increased the water level to six feet in the open well. Mallya was then able to pump water through hose pipes for regular irrigation.

One foot to ten
Later, he had many trenches dug across the slope of his land. With the digging of trenches, the well water has risen to 10 feet. In addition to this, whatever water flows from the school compound is also put into the earth on the topmost side of Mallya's farm. Now with the help of a one HP motor, he irrigates all his plants in summer once a week. This requires 150 minutes of pumping. At the end of pumping, the water level goes down by 2.5 feet. But it regains original level in three to four days.

There is one more reason for this improvement — the numerous plants and trees Mallya has planted all over the plot. Teak on the borders, sapota, malayan apple, wax apple, bread fruit, jack, coconuts, moringa, banana, bamboo, rattan, bimbli, jamoon and several varieties of mango. With good irrigation, the trees have grown to the height of his two-storied house.

This vegetation also helps to check the rainfall. Mallya never burns the fallen dry leaves. The organic matter that builds up on the soil increases its water - holding capacity as well as percolating ability. The roots of the trees also enhance percolation. With all these changes, except for the walkway and the small front yard, all the rain that falls on the site never goes out. Mallya has been able to create a zero run off situation with his simple water catching techniques.

Strong attachment for farming

Though a Sunday farmer, Mallya seems to be more dedicated to farming than many professional farmers. Sunday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. is his farming time. Come what may, he never misses his weekly farm visit. Sporting soiled shorts, he works hand in hand with Kariya, his helping hand on the farm. He wears a waist belt carrier with tools required to fix broken pipelines or to cut twigs. He grows vegetables like cowpea and ladies finger in pots. A staunch believer in poison-free farming, he seldom uses chemical inputs.

Ganapathy Bhat has been advising Mallya on farming methods. Says Bhat, "Though a mathematics teacher, he never compares the income from his farm to his investments. He is keenly interested in new varieties of fruits and other plants and buys them at whatever cost. He happily offers these seeds to others. He never sells his fruits and vegetables. Instead, he gifts them to friends."

Low costs
In seven years, Ganesh Mallya's almost dry well has attained ten feet water. Neighbour Diwakar Karanth's farm is still below the slope. Earlier, his well used to dry up by March. Now it has water enough to run the motor till summer end.

Initially Mallya had spent Rs.35,000 for the well. Later re-deepening, inserting cement rings, etc. cost him another Rs.25,000. But it was only after he dug the recharge pits that the well was made live and bountiful. As he has used the leftover sand and stone bits to refill these pits, the total cost of all his rain harvesting has amounted to only about Rs.3,000.

Drawing from his own success in such a small land and very little expenditure, Mallya had suggested the headmaster at his school to take steps to percolate huge run-off from their playground. Says he, "If not the school, the society would have benefited; students would learn from this." But his suggestion has not been heeded.

The Sunday I visited Mallya's farm, he had been made an offer by the school. "Half a day's work on Sunday as examiner would have brought me Rs. 900," he says. "But I said, today is my farm day and excused myself." After his retirement, Mallya intends to make his farm house his headquarters. "It's purely for my satisfaction that I have been farming," he says. But his experiments with rainwater harvesting are examples others can benefit from. :
Ganesh Mallya (0824) 222 1777 e-mail: mallyaganesh3112@yahoo.co.in

(courtesy: http://www.indiatogether.org)

Wonder Spring Talaparige..! ಸಿಹಿನೀರ ಬುಗ್ಗೆ ತಲಪರಿಗೆ..!

Wonder Spring Talaparige..!

Many people don't know about these springs. But you may not believe these Wonder Springs of about 400 square foot dimension provides water for about 200 acres of land. This spring is known as 'Talaparige', a conventional system of storing water in Tumkur, Kolar and Chitradurga Districts. Ganadhalu Shrikanta has provided some information about Talaparige, which is just like Madaka's in Dakshina Kannada District. A movement to save these 'Talaparige' has been started in Tumkur District and a book on Talaparige would be released on Sunday 10th of August 2008 at Madhugiri.

ಬೆಟ್ಟದ ತಪ್ಪಲಲ್ಲಿ ಚಿಮ್ಮುವ

ಸಿಹಿನೀರ ಬುಗ್ಗೆ

ತಲಪರಿಗೆ

ಕಟ್ಟ, ಮದಕಗಳು ಕರಾವಳಿ, ಮಲೆನಾಡಿನ ಪಾರಂಪರಿಕ ಜಲನಿಧಿಗಳು. ಹಾಗೇ `ತಲಪರಿಗೆ' ಬಯಲು ಸೀಮೆಯ ಜಲನಿಧಿ. ಕೆರೆ, ಕಟ್ಟೆ, ಹೊಳೆ, ಹಳ್ಳಗಳು ಬತ್ತಿದಾಗ ಜೀವ ತಳೆವ ಜಲ ಸೆಲೆಗಳು. ಅಳಿವಿನಂಚಿನಲ್ಲಿರುವ ಈ ಜಲ ನಿಧಿಗಳನ್ನು ಪುನರುಜ್ಜೀವನಗೊಳಿಸಲು ಸಮುದಾಯ ಹಾಗೂ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಗಳು ಈಗ ಮುಂದಾಗಿವೆ.

ಲೇಖನ : ಗಾಣಧಾಳು ಶ್ರೀಕಂಠ
ಚಿತ್ರಗಳು: ಮಲ್ಲಿಕಾರ್ಜುನ ಹೊಸಪಾಳ್ಯ, ಭೂಷಣ್ ಮಿಡಿಗೇಶಿ

`ತಲಪರಿಗೆ'- ಬಯಲು ಸೀಮೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕೆರೆ ಕುಂಟೆಗಳು ಬತ್ತಿದಾಗ ರೈತರಿಗೆ ಆಸರೆಯಾಗುವ ಜಲನಿಧಿ. ತುಮಕೂರು, ಕೋಲಾರ, ಚಿತ್ರದುರ್ಗ ಜಿಲ್ಲೆಗಳ ಗ್ರಾಮೀಣ ಜನರಿಗೆ ತಲಪರಿಗೆ ಪರಿಚಿತ ಹೆಸರು. ಬೆಟ್ಟದ ಮೇಲೆ ಸುರಿದ ಮಳೆ ನೀರು ಹನಿಹನಿಯಾಗಿ ಭೂಮಿ ಸೇರಿ, ನಂತರ ಭೂಪದರದೊಳಕ್ಕೆ ಸೇರುತ್ತಾ ತೊಸಕಲು ಭೂಮಿಯಲ್ಲಿ (ಉಸುಕು ಮಣ್ಣು/ಮರಳಿನ ಪ್ರದೇಶದಲ್ಲಿ) ನೀರಿನ ಬುಗ್ಗೆಯಾಗಿ ಉಕ್ಕುತ್ತವೆ. ಜಲ ಉಕ್ಕುವ ಸ್ಥಳದಲ್ಲಿ ತೋಡುವ ಗುಂಡಿಯೇ `ತಲಪರಿಗೆ'.


ಕೆರೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ನೀರು ಬತ್ತಿಹೋದ ಮೇಲೆ ತಲಪರಿಗೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ನೀರು ಉಕ್ಕಲಾರಂಭಿಸುತ್ತದೆ. ಕೆರೆ ನೀರಿಗೆ ಪರ್ಯಾಯ ಎನಿಸುವ ಈ ತಲಪರಿಗೆಗಳು ಬೆಟ್ಟದ ತಪ್ಪಲು, ಕೆರೆ ಅಂಗಳ ಮತ್ತು ಕೆರೆಯ ಕ್ಯಾಚ್ ಮೆಂಟ್ ಪ್ರದೇಶ (ಜಲಾನಯನ ಪ್ರದೇಶ) ಮತ್ತು ಅಚ್ಚುಕಟ್ಟು ಪ್ರದೇಶದಲ್ಲಿ ಇರುತ್ತವೆ. ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯವಾಗಿ ಕೆರೆ ಅಂಗಳದಲ್ಲಿರುವ ತಲಪರಿಗೆಗಳ ಸಂಖ್ಯೆ ಹೆಚ್ಚು. ತುಮಕೂರು ಜಿಲ್ಲೆಯ ಕೊರಟಗೆರೆ, ಪಾವಗಡ, ಮಧುಗಿರಿ ಹಾಗೂ ಕುಣಿಗಲ್ ತಾಲ್ಲೂಕುಗಳ ಬೆಟ್ಟದ ಬುಡದಲ್ಲಿರುವ ಗ್ರಾಮಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಈಗಲೂ ತಲಪರಿಗೆಗಳಿವೆ. ಒಂದು ಮಾಹಿತಿ ಪ್ರಕಾರ ಪಾವಗಡ ತಾಲ್ಲೂಕಿನಲ್ಲಿದ್ದ 360 ಕೆರೆಗಳಲ್ಲೂ ತಲಪರಿಗೆಗಳು ಇದ್ದವಂತೆ!

ದುರಸ್ತಿಯಿಂದಲೇ ಆರಂಭ : ಬೇಸಿಗೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ತಲಪರಿಗೆಗಳು ರೈತರ ನೆರವಿಗೆ ಧಾವಿಸುತ್ತವೆ. ಕೆರೆ ಬತ್ತಿದ ಬೆನ್ನಲ್ಲೇ ತಲಪರಿಗೆಯ ದುರಸ್ತಿಗೆ ಜನರು ಮುಂದಾಗುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಶಿವರಾತ್ರಿ ಆಸು-ಪಾಸಿನಲ್ಲಿ ತಲಪರಿಗೆ ದುರಸ್ತಿ ಆರಂಭ. ಜನರೆಲ್ಲ ಸೇರಿ ಸಲಿಕೆ, ಗುದ್ದಲಿ ಹಿಡಿದು ಶ್ರಮದಾನದ ಮಾಡಿ ತಲಪರಿಗೆಯ ಹೂಳು ತೆಗೆಯುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಇದು ಮೊದಲ ಹೆಜ್ಜೆ. ಹೂಳು ತೆಗೆದಂತೆ ಗುಂಡಿಯಲ್ಲಿ `ಜಲದ ಕಣ್ಣು'ಗಳು ತೆರೆದುಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತವೆ. ನೀರು ಗುಂಡಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಶೇಖರಣೆಯಾಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಈ ನೀರನ್ನು ಆಗಾಗ ಖಾಲಿ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದರೆ ಮಾತ್ರ ಹೊಸ ನೀರು ಸಂಗ್ರಹವಾಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಇಲ್ಲವಾದರೆ `ಜಲದ ಕಣ್ಣು'ಗಳು ಮುಚ್ಚಿಹೋಗಿ ನೀರಿನ ಒರತೆ ನಿಲ್ಲುತ್ತದೆ. ಇದೇ ತಲಪರಿಗೆಯ ವಿಶೇಷ.

ಕೊರಟಗೆರೆ ತಾಲ್ಲೂಕು ಅಕ್ಕಿ ರಾಂಪುರದಲ್ಲಿರುವ ತಲಪರಿಗೆಯೊಂದರಲ್ಲಿ ಬಹಳ ವರ್ಷಗಳ ನೀರು ತೆಗೆಯದ ಪರಿಣಾಮ ಜಲದ ಕಣ್ಣು ಮುಚ್ಚಿ ಹೋಗಿ ಪಾಚಿಕಟ್ಟಿಕೊಂಡಿದೆ. ತಲಪರಿಗೆಗಳ ನಿರ್ವಹಣೆ ಆಯಾ ಹಳ್ಳಿಯ `ಗಮಕಾರ' ಕುಟುಂಬಕ್ಕೆ ಸೇರಿದ್ದು. ಊರಿಗೊಂದು ನೀರಗಂಟಿ ಕುಟುಂಬ ಇದ್ದ ಹಾಗೆ ಗಮಕಾರ ಕುಟುಂಬಗಳಿವೆ. ಗಮಕಾರನ ನಿರ್ದೇಶನದಂತೆ ತಲಪರಿಗೆಗೆ ಸಂಬಂಧಪಟ್ಟ ಕೆಲಸ- ಕಾರ್ಯಗಳು ನಡೆಯುತ್ತವೆ.

ಸುಸ್ಥಿರತೆಯ ಪ್ರತೀಕ: ತಲಪರಿಗೆ ರೈತ ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿಯ ಪ್ರತೀಕ. ಮಾತ್ರವಲ್ಲ, ಜಲ ಸುಸ್ಥಿರತೆಯ ದ್ಯೋತಕ. ಆದ್ದರಿಂದಲೇ ರೈತರು ಪ್ರತಿ ವರ್ಷ ತಲಪರಿಗೆ ಸ್ವಚ್ಛಗೊಳಿಸುತ್ತಾರೆ, ಗಂಗಮ್ಮನ ಪೂಜೆ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಾರೆ. ರೈತರ ಪ್ರಕಾರ, ಕೆರೆ ಬತ್ತಿದಾಗ, ಸುತ್ತಲಿನ ಕೊಳವೆಬಾವಿಗಳು ಸ್ತಬ್ಧವಾದರೂ ಕೆರೆ ಅಂಗಳದಲ್ಲಿನ ತಲಪರಿಗೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ನೀರಿನ ಒರತೆ ಇರುತ್ತದೆ. `ಕಳೆದ ವರ್ಷ ಈ ಭಾಗದ ಕೊಳವೆ ಬಾವಿಗಳು ಬತ್ತಿದಾಗಲೂ ತಲಪರಿಗೆಗಳು ಬರಿದಾಗಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಆದ್ದರಿಂದಲೇ ಇವು ಜಲ ಸುಸ್ಥಿರತೆಯ ಪ್ರತೀಕ' ಎನ್ನುತ್ತಾರೆ ಜಲಸಂವರ್ಧನಾ ಸಂಘದ ಸಂವಹನ ತಜ್ಞ ಮಲ್ಲಿಕಾರ್ಜುನ ಹೊಸಪಾಳ್ಯ.

`ಎರಡು ದಶಕಗಳ ಹಿಂದೆ ಮಧುಗಿರಿ, ಕೊರಟಗೆರೆ, ಪಾವಗಡ ತಾಲ್ಲೂಕುಗಳ ಕೆರೆ ಆಸುಪಾಸಿನಲ್ಲಿ ತಲಪರಿಗೆಗಳಿದ್ದವು. ಕೊಳವೆ ಬಾವಿಗಳ ಅಬ್ಬರದಲ್ಲಿ ಅವು ಕಣ್ಮರೆಯಾದವು' ಎಂದು ಪತ್ರಕರ್ತ ಭೂಷಣ್ ಮಿಡಿಗೇಶಿ ಹೇಳುತ್ತಾರೆ. `ಮಧುಗಿರಿ ತಾಲ್ಲೂಕಿನ ಸಿದ್ದಾಪುರದಲ್ಲಿ ಈಗಲೂ ಆರು ತಲಪರಿಗೆಗಳಿವೆ. ಎರಡು ಅಚ್ಚುಕಟ್ಟು ಪ್ರದೇಶದಲ್ಲಿ, ಉಳಿದವು ಕೆರೆ ಅಂಗಳದಲ್ಲಿವೆ. ಚೋಳೇನಹಳ್ಳಿಯ ತಲಪರಿಗೆಗಳು ಇವತ್ತಿಗೂ ಚಾಲ್ತಿಯಲ್ಲಿವೆ.

ಕೊರಟಗೆರೆ ತಾಲ್ಲೂಕಿನ ರಾಯವಾರ ಗ್ರಾಮಸ್ಥರು ತಲಪರಿಗೆ ನೀರಿನಿಂದಲೇ ಬೇಸಿಗೆಯ ಬೆಳೆ ತೆಗೆಯುತ್ತಿದ್ದರಂತೆ. ಇದರಲ್ಲಿ ಕೆರೆ ಕಾಲುವೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಹರಿಯುವಷ್ಟು ನೀರು ಹರಿಯುತ್ತಿತ್ತು. ಇದರ ರಿಪೇರಿ, ಉಸ್ತುವಾರಿ ರೈತರದೇ ಆಗಿತ್ತು. ಆದರೆ ಕೆಲ ವರ್ಷಗಳಿಂದೀಚೆಗೆ ಬರಗಾಲದಿಂದಾಗಿ ತಲಪರಿಗೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ನೀರು ಕಡಿಮೆಯಾಯಿತು. ತಲಪರಿಗೆ ದುರಸ್ತಿ ಮಾಡದಿರುವುದೇ ಈ ಸ್ಥಿತಿಗೆ ಕಾರಣ. ಈಗ ತಲಪರಿಗೆ ಇದೆ. ಅದರ ಕಾಲುವೆ ತುಂಬಾ ಕಳೆ ಬೆಳೆದಿದೆ.

ಮಧುಗಿರಿ ಸಮೀಪ ನಮ್ಮದು 16 ಎಕರೆ ಭೂಮಿ ಇದೆ. ಎರಡು ತಲಪರಿಗೆಗಳ ನೀರು ಬಳಸಿಕೊಂಡು ಭತ್ತ, ರಾಗಿ ಬೆಳೆಯುತ್ತಿದ್ದೆವು. ತಲಪರಿಗೆಗಳು ಭರ್ತಿಯಾದರೆ ವರ್ಷಕ್ಕೆ ಎರಡು ಬೆಳೆ ತೆಗೀತಿದ್ವಿ. ಈಗ ಮೇಲ್ಭಾಗದವರು ತಲಪರಿಗೆ ಒತ್ತುವರಿ ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡು ಮೋಟರ್ ಬಳಸಿ ನೀರು ಹೊಡಿಯುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
ತಲಪರಿಗೆ ಸುತ್ತ ಕೊಳವೆ ಬಾವಿ ನಿರ್ಮಿಸಿದ್ದರಿಂದ ಬರಿದಾಗಿದೆ. ತಲಪರಿಗೆ ಬಿಡಿಸಿಕೊಡಿ ಎಂದು ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಗಳಿಗೂ ದೂರು ಕೊಟ್ಟಿದ್ದೇವೆ ಎನ್ನುತ್ತಾರೆ ನಿವೃತ್ತ ಸಹಾಯಕ ಅಭಿಯಂತರ ಬೈರಣ್ಣ. ತಲಪರಿಗೆ ಉಳಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವ ಹೋರಾಟವನ್ನು ಅವರು ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾರೆ.

ಜೆ ಎಸ್ ವೈ ಎಸ್ ಯತ್ನ: ಈ ತಾಲ್ಲೂಕುಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಸಮುದಾಯ ಸಹಭಾಗಿತ್ವದಲ್ಲಿ ಕೆರೆ ನಿರ್ವಹಣೆ ಜವಾಬ್ದಾರಿ ಹೊತ್ತಿರುವ ಜೆ ಎಸ್ ವೈ ಎಸ್ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆ ಕೆರೆ ಹೂಳೆತ್ತುವ ಜೊತೆಗೆ ತಲಪರಿಗೆಗಳ ಪುನರುಜ್ಜೀವನಕ್ಕೆ ಕೈ ಹಾಕಿದೆ. ಯೋಜನೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ತಲಪರಿಗೆ ವಿಷಯ ಕಡ್ಡಾಯವಲ್ಲದಿದ್ದರೂ ಈ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕಾರ್ಯ ನಿರ್ವಹಿಸುತ್ತಿರುವ ಮಲ್ಲಿಕಾರ್ಜುನ ಹೊಸಪಾಳ್ಯ, ಭೂಷಣ್ ಮಿಡಿಗೇಶಿ ಮತ್ತು ನರಸಿಂಹಲು ಬಾಬು ಅವರ ವೈಯಕ್ತಿಕ ಆಸಕ್ತಿ ಮೇರೆಗೆ ಕಳೆದೆರಡು ವರ್ಷಗಳಲ್ಲಿ 20 ತಲಪರಿಗೆಗಳು ಪುನಶ್ಚೇತನಗೊಂಡಿವೆ. ತಲಪರಿಗೆ ಉಳಿಸುವ ಕಾರ್ಯ `ಆಂದೋಲನ' ರೂಪ ಪಡೆದುಕೊಂಡಿದೆ.

ತಲಪರಿಗೆ ಉಳಿಸಿ: ಅಲ್ಲಲ್ಲಿ ಮುಚ್ಚಿ ಹೋಗಿರುವ ತಲಪರಿಗೆಗಳಿಗೆ ಜೀವ ತುಂಬುವ ಕೆಲಸ ಆಗಬೇಕಾಗಿದೆ. ಹಿರಿಯ ರೈತರು ತಲಪರಿಗೆಯ ಮಹತ್ವವನ್ನು ಕಿರಿಯರಿಗೆ ತಿಳಿಸುವುದು ಕಡ್ಡಾಯ. ಈ ನಿಟ್ಟಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಜೆ ಎಸ್ ವೈ ಎಸ್ ಜೊತೆಗೆ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಹಾಗೂ ಇತರ ಸ್ವಯಂ ಸೇವಾ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಗಳು, ಸ್ಥಳೀಯ ಜನರು ಕೈ ಜೋಡಿಸಬೇಕಿದೆ. ತಲಪರಿಗೆಗಳಿದ್ದರೂ ಅವನ್ನು ಬಳಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳದ ಕಾರಣ, ಈ ಮೂರು ತಾಲ್ಲೂಕುಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ನೀರಿನ ಸಮಸ್ಯೆ ತೀವ್ರವಾಗಿದೆ. ಕೊಳವೆಬಾವಿಗಳ ನೀರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಫ್ಲೋರೈಡ್ ಅಂಶ ಹೆಚ್ಚಾಗಿದೆ. ಶುದ್ಧ ನೀರಿಗೆ ಜನರು ಹಣ ತೆರಬೇಕಾದ ಪರಿಸ್ಥಿತಿ ಇದೆ. ಈ ಪರಿಸ್ಥಿತಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಸಿಹಿ ನೀರು ಕೊಡುವ ಹಾಗೂ ಸಮುದಾಯದ ಕೈಗೆಟಕುವ ತಲಪರಿಗೆಯಂಥ ಪಾರಂಪರಿಕ ಜಲ ನಿಧಿಗಳನ್ನು ಪುನಶ್ಚೇತನಗೊಳಿಸುವುದು ಸೂಕ್ತವಾಗಿದೆ.

ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಅನಾವರಣ, ವಿಚಾರ ಸಂಕಿರಣ

`ತಲಪರಿಗೆ ಉಳಿಸಿ' ಆಂದೋಲನದ ಹಾದಿ ಈಗ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ರೂಪ ಪಡೆಯುತ್ತಿದೆ. ಈ ಮೂವರು ಯುವಕರು ನಾಲ್ಕು ತಾಲ್ಲೂಕುಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಸುತ್ತಾಡಿ ತಲಪರಿಗೆ ಕುರಿತ ಮಾಹಿತಿಗಳನ್ನು ಸಂಗ್ರಹಿಸಿ, ಪುಸ್ತಕ ರೂಪದಲ್ಲಿ ಹೊರತರುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ತಲಪರಿಗೆ ಬಳಕೆದಾರರು, ಅದನ್ನು ನಿರ್ವಹಿಸುವ ಗಮಕಾರರು, ರೈತರ ಅನುಭವಗಳನ್ನು ಈ ಪುಸ್ತಕದಲ್ಲಿ ಸೇರಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಇದೇ ಆಗಸ್ಟ್ 10ರಂದು ಮಧುಗಿರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಅನಾವರಣಗೊಳ್ಳಲಿದೆ. ಅಂದು ತಲಪರಿಗೆ ಕುರಿತ ವಿಚಾರ ಸಂಕಿರಣ, ರೈತರೊಂದಿಗೆ ಸಂವಾದ ಕೂಡ ಇದೆ. ಮಾಧ್ಯಮ ಗೆಳೆಯರು, ಆಸಕ್ತ ಬರಹಗಾರರು, ಜಲ ಚಿಂತಕರು, ರೈತರು, ಸರ್ಕಾರದ ಪ್ರತಿನಿಧಿಗಳು ಈ ಸಭೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಭಾಗವಹಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಆಸಕ್ತರು ಈ ದೂರವಾಣಿ ಸಂಖ್ಯೆಗೆ ಸಂಪರ್ಕಿಸಬಹುದು: 93421 84855 ಅಥವಾ ಇ-ಮೈಲ್ ಮೂಲಕ : talaparige@gmail.com ಈ ವಿಳಾಸಕ್ಕೆ ಸಂಪರ್ಕಿಸಬಹುದು.

ಸೌಜನ್ಯ: 'ಪ್ರಜಾವಾಣಿ'

'ಕಟ್ಟ' ಕಟ್ಟಲು ಸಿದ್ಧರಾಗಿ, ವಾರಣಾಶಿಗೆ ದೌಡಾಯಿಸಿ..! (Get ready to build Kattas..!)

Get ready to build Kattas..!

Kattas or small scale check dams in parts of Kerala and Karnataka are life lines of farmers and getting popularity again by efforts of Varanashi Research Foundation, Jalakoota Kasaragodu etc. These organisation with the help of Argyam of Bangalore now organised one day workshop on Kattas in Varanashi Farm at Adyanadka of Dakshina Kannada District on Sunday, 18th May 2007. Learn the skill of building Kattas as rainy season is fast approaching.

'ಕಟ್ಟ' ಕಟ್ಟಲು ಸಿದ್ಧರಾಗಿ,

ವಾರಣಾಶಿಗೆ ದೌಡಾಯಿಸಿ..!

ವಾರಣಾಶಿ ಸಂಶೋಧನಾ ಪ್ರತಿಷ್ಠಾನವು ಕಾಸರಗೋಡು ಜಲಕೂಟ ಮತ್ತು 'ಆರ್ಘ್ಯಮ್' ಸಹಯೋಗದೊಂದಿಗೆ ಮೇ 18ರ ಆದಿತ್ಯವಾರ ದಕ್ಷಿಣ ಕನ್ನಡ ಜಿಲ್ಲೆ ಅಡ್ಯನಡ್ಕದ ಸರವು ಬಳಿಯ ವಾರಣಾಶಿ ತೋಟದಲ್ಲಿ 'ಕಟ್ಟಗಳು, ಅನುಶೋಧನೆಗಳು ಮತ್ತು ವಾರಣಾಶಿ ಕಟ್ಟ' ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಒಂದು ದಿನದ ಕಾರ್ಯಾಗಾರವನ್ನು ಸಂಘಟಿಸಿದೆ.

ನೆತ್ರಕೆರೆ ಉದಯಶಂಕರ

ಹದಿನೈದು - ಇಪ್ಪತ್ತು ವರ್ಷಗಳ ಹಿಂದಿನ ನೆನಪು. ನಾನು ವಿಟ್ಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಪೇಟೆಯಿಂದ ಮನೆಯತ್ತ ಹೊರಟಿದ್ದೆ. ಎದುರಿನಿಂದ ಬರುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಸ್ಕೂಟರ್ ಹಠಾತ್ತನೆ ನಿಂತಿತು. ನೋಡ ನೋಡುವಷ್ಟರಲ್ಲಿ ಅದರಿಂದ ಶ್ರೀ ಪಡ್ರೆ ಕೆಳಗಿಳಿದರು.

ನನಗೆ ಅಚ್ಚರಿಯ ಮೇಲೆ ಅಚ್ಚರಿ. ಅರೆ! ಶ್ರೀಪಡ್ರೆ ಇಲ್ಲೇಕೆ ಬಂದರು ಅಂತ.

ಶ್ರೀಪಡ್ರೆ ಅವರೇ ಮಾತಿಗೆ ಆರಂಭಿಸಿದರು: ಇಲ್ಲೇ ಕಡಂಬಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಒಂದು ಕಟ್ಟ ಉಂಟಲ್ಲ ಅಲ್ಲಿಗೆ ಹೋಗಿದ್ದೆ. ನೀರು ಉಳಿತಾಯದ ಎಂತಹ ಅದ್ಭುತ ವಿಧಾನ ಅಲ್ಲವೇ?'

ಹೌದು. ನಮ್ಮ ಮನೆಯಿಂದ ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಕಡಿಮೆ ಒಂದೂವರೆ ಕಿ.ಮೀ. ದೂರದಲ್ಲಿರುವ ಕಡಂಬಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಇರುವ ಕಟ್ಟವನ್ನು ನಾನು ಚಿಕ್ಕ ಹುಡುಗನಿದ್ದಾಗಿನಿಂದಲೇ ನೋಡಿದ್ದೆ. ಬಹುಶ: ನಮ್ಮ ಪರಿಸರದಲ್ಲಿ ನಾನು ಕಂಡಿದ್ದ ಏಕೈಕ ಕಟ್ಟ ಅದು. ಆ ಕಟ್ಟದ ಪರಿಣಾಮವಾಗಿ ಅಲ್ಲಿನ ಸುತ್ತ ಮುತ್ತಲಿನ ಪರಿಸರದಲ್ಲಿ ಸದಾ ಕಾಲ ಹಸಿರು ತುಂಬಿ ತುಳುಕಾಡುತ್ತಿತ್ತು.

ನನ್ನ ಅನಿಸಿಕೆ ಪ್ರಕಾರ ಶ್ರೀಪಡ್ರೆ ಅವರನ್ನು ಜಲ ಸಂರಕ್ಷಣೆ ವಿಚಾರ ತೀವ್ರವಾಗಿ ಕಾಡತೊಡಗಿದ್ದ ಕಾಲ ಅದು. ಹಾಗಾಗಿಯೇ ಅವರು ಕಟ್ಟದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ತಿಳಿಯಲು ಕಡಂಬಿಗೆ ಬಂದಿದ್ದರು.

ಆ ಬಳಿಕ ಶ್ರೀಪಡ್ರೆ ಅವರು ಕಟ್ಟ, ಸುರಂಗ, ಮದಕ, ಇಂಗುಗುಂಡಿಗಳಿಂದ ಹಿಡಿದು ರಾಜಸ್ಥಾನದ ಟಾಂಕಾಗಳವರೆಗೂ ನೀರಿಂಗಿಸುವ, ನೀರು ಉಳಿತಾಯ ಮಾಡುವ ಪಾರಂಪರಿಕ ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆಗಳ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಮಾಡಿದ ಅಧ್ಯಯನ ಅಷ್ಟಿಷ್ಟಲ್ಲ, ಬರೆದ ಲೇಖನಗಳಿಗೂ ಲೆಖ್ಖವಿಲ್ಲ.

ಏತಡ್ಕ ಕಟ್ಟ ಸೇರಿದಂತೆ ಕಾಸರಗೋಡು, ದಕ್ಷಿಣ ಕನ್ನಡ ಜಿಲ್ಲೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಜಲ ಸಾಕ್ಷರತೆಯ ಜೊತೆಗೆ ಕಟ್ಟಗಳ ಪುನರುಜ್ಜೀವನಕ್ಕೆ ನಡೆದ ಯತ್ನಗಳ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಅವರು ಬರೆದ ಲೇಖನಗಳು ವಿಶ್ವವ್ಯಾಪಿ ಪ್ರಸಿದ್ಧಿ ಪಡೆದವು.

ಜಲ ಸಂರಕ್ಷಣೆ, ಮಳೆಕೊಯ್ಲು, ಪಾರಂಪರಿಕ ನೀರು ಉಳಿತಾಯ ವಿಧಾನಗಳ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಜನರಲ್ಲಿ ಜಾಗೃತಿ ಮೂಡಿಸುವ ಸಲುವಾಗಿ ಅವರು ಕಾಸರಗೋಡು 'ಜಲಕೂಟ'ವನ್ನೂ ಕೂಡಾ ಕಟ್ಟಿದರು. ಈ 'ಜಲಕೂಟ' ಇತರ ಸಂಘ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಗಳನ್ನೂ ಸೇರಿಸಿಕೊಂಡು ಕಾಲ ಕಾಲಕ್ಕೆ ನೀರುಳಿತಾಯದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಜನ ಜಾಗೃತಿ ಮಾಡುವ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮಗಳನ್ನು ಹಮ್ಮಿಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಿದೆ. ಇತ್ತೀಚೆಗೆ ಕೂಟವು ಸಂಪ್ರದಾಯಿಕ ಜಲ ನೆಲ ಸಂರಕ್ಷಣಾ ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆಗಳ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ವಿಷಯ ಸಂಗ್ರಹಿಸಿ ಪ್ರಚಾರ ಮಾಡುವ ಕಾರ್ಯ ನಡೆಸುತ್ತಿದೆ. ಇತ್ತೀಚೆಗೆ ಮದಕಗಳ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಪುಸ್ತಕವೊಂದನ್ನು ಪ್ರಕಟಿಸಿದೆ.

ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ಕೃಷಿಯ, ನೀರುಳಿತಾಯ, ಸಾವಯವ ಕೃಷಿ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಆಳವಾದ ಅಧ್ಯಯನ ಸಂಶೋಧನೆಗಳನ್ನು ನಡೆಸುತ್ತಿರುವ ಇನ್ನೊಂದು ಸಂಸ್ಥೆ ದಕ್ಷಿಣ ಕನ್ನಡದ ಅಡ್ಯನಡ್ಕದ 'ವಾರಣಾಶಿ ಪ್ರತಿಷ್ಠಾನ'. ವಾರಣಾಶಿ ತೋಟವೇ ಈ ಪ್ರತಿಷ್ಠಾನದ ಕೇಂದ್ರ ಸ್ಥಾನ. ಸುಮಾರು 100 ಎಕರೆಗಳ ವಿಸ್ತೀರ್ಣದ ಈ ತೋಟದಲ್ಲಿ ವೆನಿಲ್ಲಾ, ಅಡಿಕೆ, ಕೊಕ್ಕೊ, ತೆಂಗು, ಕಾಳುಮೆಣಸು, ಗೇರು, ಬಾಳೆ, ಭತ್ತ, ತರಕಾರಿಗಳು ಇತ್ಯಾದಿ ಬೆಳೆಗಳಲ್ಲದೆ ಸ್ವಾಭಾವಿಕವಾಗಿ ಇರುವ ಕಾಡುಮರಗಳೊಂದಿಗೆ ತೇಗ, ಮಹಾಗನಿ, ಅಕೇಶಿಯಾ, ಮಾಂಜಿಯಂ, ಗಾಳಿ, ಹಲಸು, ಬಿದಿರು ಇತ್ಯಾದಿ ಮರಗಳನ್ನು ನೆಟ್ಟು ಬೆಳೆಸಲಾಗಿದೆ. ವಿವಿಧ ರೀತಿಯ ಜಲ ನೆಲ ಸಂರಕ್ಷಣಾ ಮಾದರಿಗಳನ್ನು ವಾರಣಾಶಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಅಳವಡಿಸಲಾಗಿದೆ. ಸದ್ರಿ ಕೃಷಿಯಿಂದಾಗಿ ವಾರಣಾಶಿಯವರಿಗೆ ಕೃಷಿ ಪಂಡಿತ ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿ ಸಂದಿದೆ. ಕೇಂದ್ರ ಸರಕಾರದ ಮಾನ್ಯತೆ ಪಡೆದ ವಾರಣಾಶಿ ಸಂಶೋಧನಾ ಪ್ರತಿಷ್ಠಾನವು ಎ.ಪಿ.ಜೆ ಅಬ್ದುಲ್ ಕಲಾಂ ಪರಿಸರ ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿಯನ್ನು ಕೂಡಾ ಪಡೆದಿದೆ.

ನಾಡಿನ ನೈಸರ್ಗಿಕ ಸಂಪತ್ತನ್ನು ರಕ್ಷಿಸುವ, ಉಳಿಸುವ, ಬೆಳೆಸುವ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ ನೆರವಾಗಿ, ಬೆನ್ನೆಲುಬಾಗಿ ನಿಲ್ಲುವ ಮಹತ್ತರ ಕಾಯಕಕ್ಕೆ ಇತ್ತೀಚೆಗೆ ಕೈಹಾಕಿರುವ ಚಾರಿಟಬಲ್ ಟ್ರಸ್ಟ್ ರೋಹಿಣಿ ನೀಲೇಕಣಿ ಅವರ ವೈಯಕ್ತಿಕ ದತ್ತಿ ನಿಧಿಯಿಂದ ಆರಂಭವಾದ 'ಅರ್ಘ್ಯಮ್'. ಎಲ್ಲ ನಾಗರಿಕರಿಗೆ ನೀರು ದೊರಕಿಸುವ, ಜಲ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರದ ಸುಸ್ಥಿರ ಯೋಜನೆಗಳನ್ನು 'ಅರ್ಘ್ಯಮ್' ಪ್ರೋತ್ಸಾಹಿಸುತ್ತದೆ. ಪರಿಸರ, ಆರ್ಥಿಕ, ಸಾಮಾಜಿಕ, ತಾಂತ್ರಿಕ ಮತ್ತು ಸಾಂಸ್ಥಿಕವಾಗಿ ಸುಸ್ಥಿರವಾದ ಯೋಜನೆಗಳನ್ನು 'ಅರ್ಘ್ಯಮ್' ಬೆಂಬಲಿಸುತ್ತಿದೆ.

ತನ್ನ ಸಹಯೋಗಿ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಗಳ ನೆರವಿನೊಂದಿಗೆ ಅದು 'ಭಾರತ ಜಲ ಪೋರ್ಟಲ್' ನ್ನು ಸ್ಥಾಪಿಸಿದೆ. ಇದು ಜಲ ಪದ್ಧತಿಗಳನ್ನು ಹಂಚಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ಇರುವ ಮುಕ್ತ ವೆಬ್ ಆಧಾರಿತ ವೇದಿಕೆ. ನಗರ ಜಲ ಯೋಜನೆ ಮೂಲಕ ಸಮಗ್ರ ನಗರ ಜಲ ನಿರ್ವಹಣೆಯನ್ನು ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿ ಪಡಿಸಲು 'ಅರ್ಘ್ಯಮ್' ಉದ್ದೇಶಿಸಿದೆ. ಜಲ ಮತ್ತು ನೈರ್ಮಲ್ಯ ವಲಯದಲ್ಲಿ ವಿಶಿಷ್ಠ ಪರಿಣಾಮಗಳನ್ನು ರೂಪಿಸಬಲ್ಲ ಹೊಸ ತಾಂತ್ರಿಕತೆ, ಸಂಶೋಧನೆಗಳಿಗೂ 'ಅರ್ಘ್ಯಮ್' ಬೆಂಬಲ ನೀಡುತ್ತದೆ.

ವಾರಣಾಶಿ ಸಂಶೋಧನಾ ಪ್ರತಿಷ್ಠಾನವು ಕಾಸರಗೋಡು ಜಲಕೂಟ ಮತ್ತು ''ಅರ್ಘ್ಯಮ್' ಸಹಯೋಗದೊಂದಿಗೆ ಮೇ 18ರ ಆದಿತ್ಯವಾರ ದಕ್ಷಿಣ ಕನ್ನಡ ಜಿಲ್ಲೆ ಅಡ್ಯನಡ್ಕದ ಸರವು ಬಳಿಯ ವಾರಣಾಶಿ ತೋಟದಲ್ಲಿ 'ಕಟ್ಟಗಳು, ಅನುಶೋಧನೆಗಳು ಮತ್ತು ವಾರಣಾಶಿ ಕಟ್ಟ' ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಒಂದು ದಿನದ ಕಾರ್ಯಾಗಾರವನ್ನು ಸಂಘಟಿಸಿದೆ.

ಬೆಳಗ್ಗೆ 7ರಿಂದ ಸಂಜೆ 5.30ರವರೆಗಿನ ಈ ಕಾರ್ಯಾಗಾರದಲ್ಲಿ ವಾರಣಾಶಿ ಸಾವಯವ ಕೃಷಿ ತೋಟ ಹಾಗೂ ಜಲ ನೆಲ ಸಂರಕ್ಷಣಾ ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆ, ಸರವು ತೋಟಕ್ಕೆ ಪ್ರಯಾಣ ದಾರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಪೆಲತ್ತಡ್ಕ ಕಟ್ಟ ಹಾಗೂ ಸರವು ಕಟ್ಟಗಳ ಭೇಟಿ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮ ಹಮ್ಮಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲಾಗಿದೆ. 'ಕಟ್ಟಗಳು, ಅನುಶೋಧನೆ ಮತ್ತು ವಾರಣಾಶಿ ಕಟ್ಟಗಳು' - ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಬಿಡುಗಡೆ ಆಗಲಿದೆ.

ಡಾ. ಡಿ.ಸಿ. ಚೌಟ, ಶ್ರೀಪಡ್ರೆ, ಚಂದ್ರಶೇಖರ್ ಏತಡ್ಕ, ಬಿ.ಕೆ. ಪರಮೇಶ್ವರ ರಾವ್, ಪ್ರಕಾಶ್ ಜಗತಾಪ್, ಶಿವಾನಂದ ಕಳವೆ, ಡಾ. ವಾರಣಾಶಿ ಕೃಷ್ಣಮೂರ್ತಿ ಮತ್ತು ಡಿ. ವಸಂತ ಕುಮಾರ್ ದರ್ಭೆ, ರವಿಶಂಕರ ದೊಡ್ಡಮಾಣಿ, ಡಾ. ವೀರರಾಜು, ಶಂಕರ್ ಸಾರಡ್ಕ, ಮಧುಸೂದನನ್ ನಾಯರ್ ಮಾತನಾಡಲಿದ್ದಾರೆ.

ಇಡೀ ದಿನದ ಕಾರ್ಯಕ್ರಮದಲ್ಲಿ ಪಾರಂಪರಿಕ ಕಟ್ಟಗಳು, ಏತಡ್ಕದ ಕಟ್ಟಗಳು, ಮಿತ್ತ ಬಾಗಿಲು ಕಟ್ಟಗಳು, ವನರಾಯಿ ಕಟ್ಟಗಳು, ವಾರಣಾಶಿ ಕಟ್ಟಗಳು ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಉಪನ್ಯಾಸ ಕಟ್ಟಗಳು ಮತ್ತು ಕಿಂಡಿ ಅಣೆಕಟ್ಟುಗಳ ತುಲನೆ, ಮುಕ್ತ ವಿಚಾರ ವಿನಿಮಯ ನಡೆಯಲಿದೆ.
ಕಟ್ಟದ ಬಗೆಗಿನ ಸಮಸ್ಯೆಗಳು ಮತ್ತು ಪರಿಹಾರ ಮಾರ್ಗಗಳು ಬಗ್ಗೆ, ಸರಕಾರದ ಇತಿಮಿತಿಗಳ ಬಗೆಗೂ ಚರ್ಚೆ ನಡೆಯಲಿದೆ. ಯಲ್.ಸಿ.ಡಿ. ಪ್ರೊಜೆಕ್ಟರ್ ಮೂಲಕ ಚಿತ್ರಗಳೊಂದಿಗೆ ವಿವರಣೆ ಪಾಲ್ಗೊಂಡವರಿಗೆ ಕಟ್ಟಗಳ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ವಿಶೇಷ ತಿಳುವಳಿಕೆಯನ್ನು ನೀಡಲಿದೆ.

ಬಹುಶಃ ಮಳೆ ಕೊಯ್ಲು ಹಾಗೂ ನೀರು ಉಳಿತಾಯದ ಪಾರಂಪರಿಕ ವಿಧಾನಗಳ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಆಳವಾದ ಅರಿವು ಪಡೆಯಲು ಆಸಕ್ತರಿಗೆ ಈ ಕಾರ್ಯಾಗಾರ ಉತ್ತಮ ಅವಕಾಶ ಒದಗಿಸಲಿದೆ. ಕಾರ್ಯಾಗಾರದಲ್ಲಿ ಪಾಲ್ಗೊಳ್ಳಬಯಸುವ ಆಸಕ್ತರು ಮುಂದಾಗಿ ಪೋಸ್ಟ್ ಕಾರ್ಡ್/ ಫೋನ್/ ಇ-ಮೇಲ್ ಮೂಲಕ ಸಂಪರ್ಕಿಸುವಂತೆ ಸಂಘಟಕರು ಕೋರಿದ್ದಾರೆ.

ಸಂಪರ್ಕ ವಿಳಾಸ: ವಾರಣಾಶಿ ಸಂಶೋಧನಾ ಪ್ರತಿಷ್ಠಾನ, ಅಡ್ಯನಡ್ಕ, ದ.ಕ.- 574260. ದೂರವಾಣಿ 91-8255-270254.

ಮಿಂಚಂಚೆ: (ಇ-ಮೇಲ್): info@varanashi.com

ಅಂತರ್ಜಾಲ: http://www.varanashi.com/

A 'Gurukula' for surangas

A 'Gurukula' for surangas

79-year-old Achyutha Bhat brought surangas to Manila village in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka. His passion for the water caves - which help tap and supply water - and his commitment to training newcomers in suranga-digging has been a boost for local farmers.

Shree Padre

Like surangas, the man-made tunnels for water, this 79-year-old Karnataka farmer, who has half centuries attachment for surangas is lesser known outside. It was Manimoole Achyutha Bhat, an arecanut farmer's family that brought this traditional water harvesting system to this village Manila in Dakshina Kannada district. Thanks to this system, today including Bhat, many neighbouring farmers have no water shortage.

Achyutha Bhat's family had nearly 20 surangas dug in their property. Fourteen out of this are still serving them. Surangas provide them water not only for irrigation, but for drinking and domestic purposes too. What's more, they don't have to spend a single paisa for diesel or electricity to get this water. All the water is free flowing - in the sense they flow due to gravitational pull.

In the 15-acre barren hill slope the family got decades ago, five acres containing arecanut and coconut gardens stands today, courtesy these surangas. No other water body like open well is feasible here because of the slope and soil type. "If and when we foresee some water scarcity," explains son Govinda Bhat, 51, "we go for one more suranga."

"They dig one suranga each year", is how the villagers talk about Manimoole. Though this is exaggeration, points out a smiling Achyutha Bhat, "After my marriage at 21, four consecutive years might not have passed without us getting a suranga dug."

Manimoole is an area of the village, and there are about 20 houses here belonging to farmers and farm labourers. All have surangas that yield good water. For most of these, Achyutha Bhat might have divined water.

As the land is sloping, cultivating is possible only by leveling plots at different heights. What Bhat's do is a much planned, decentralised system of irrigation. Before leveling a plot, they dig out a suranga at least 25 feet above that. Once they strike water, the plot levelling goes on. The water oozing out of the suranga is collected in an earthen tank and irrigation done by mist jets. Thus they ensure pump less irrigation to all their plots. They have six water tanks today. A few out of these are inter-connected too.

Their old house was at a lower level to which a suranga was catering water earlier. After they constructed the present new house, the force from old suranga was not enough to supply water to the house. As such, they went higher up and dug a suranga there. Today, starting from kitchen, to all the water taps in and out the houses, this suranga at the highest elevation supplies ever fresh water.

"Fortunately, we are blessed with water within 50 kolu (one kolu means 2.5 feet) if we dig suranga after careful divining," Govinda Bhat says proudly. His calculation is simple. "For a 50 kolu suranga, we need Rs.15,000 as per present wage rate. But once we spend that, there is no worry thereafter. No recurring expenditure. Needn't bring diesel nor we have to bear with the long power cuts."

Achyutha Bhat was fascinated by this water harvesting structure since his childhood. It was in the nearby village Padre where he was learning Sanskrit he first saw a suranga. His father who was frequenting the Sanskrit pathshala too was so impressed that they wanted to go for one. So, when Achyutha Bhat's was aged 10, the Malayalee moplahs from Kerala were brought to dig the first suranga of the village. By seeing the process of digging, this family learnt its intricacies. Thereafter there was no looking back.

most of the cases, the farmer's dig surangas in their own land. Yet times - very rarely - it might go beneath the neighbour's land like a metro train line. At present suranga digging does not need permission from the panchayat or any other body.

Obsessed with surangas
Achyutha Bhat was attracted to surangas for many reasons. First, it would provide ever flowing water. Second, since the water flows out of gravity no other energy or fuel is required. Step by step, he mastered all the departments of suranga digging like water divining, going on digging with a small gradient, bringing the dug lose soil out, sensing danger while digging, changing the direction of the suranga, if needed to obtain water or more water etc.

According to an estimate, today Manila village would be having more than 300 surangas. It has a total of 480 houses. Says Govinda Bhat, "At least half of the houses have at least one suranga for their drinking water purpose."

"Digging surangas is not such a skill that can't be learnt by anybody. With hard working nature and has the necessary common sense, anybody can for that matter," reassures Achyutha Bhat. Interestingly he doesn't entrust the suranga digging to professionals. Each time he wants to, he gets it done by their regular ordinary workers by giving them incentives. This way, in the last half century, at least two dozens of farm labourers have learnt the art of digging surangas here.
Manimoole can be very well described as a 'gurukula for surangas.' "Of course, those who learn the skill from here have been called to dig more and more surangas from the nearby farmers," says Govinda Bhat.

Bio-indicators
Added to that, Achyutha Bhat has gained the capacity to identify the points for digging surangas. How does he do that? "Generally, I look out for water indicator trees such as dhoopada mara (Vateria indica) , basari mara (Ficus virens), etc. Even the fast growing uppalige mara (Macranga indica) is an indicator. Termite hills on a row is another indication," he says.

Starting from sixties - since then the digging of surangas increased in Manila - though he hasn't kept count, he must have located points for at least 100 surangas. Recalls he, "A few out of this like Aithu Naika who were planning to sell property thinking that there is no water have got water."

At 79, Achyutha Bhat is still very active. Laughs Govinda Bhat, "he has this habit of entering the suranga after the labourers have left and digging for half an hour. His enthusiasm to look out for water can't be dampened. Even if we start a new suranga tomorrow, I'm sure; he will physically join hands with workers once a while."

Adds he: "In these days of expensive and scarce labour, for a coconut from our lowermost plot to come up to the house, we have to spend 50 paise. It is easy to be fed up by this and to sell this property to search our luck in other locations. But where can we get adequate amount of free flowing water till summer end?"

Dying skill
Of late, digging of surangas is on decline in hand counts of villages where this was in practice earlier. Reasons are many. First is the introduction of bore well machines that dig a well in a single day. Numbers of skilled workers who can dig surangas are decreasing. They get better remuneration in other works like in new rubber plantations. There is risk in suranga digging. Though rare, injury or death by collapsing of surangas while digging has happened in past. Yet in Manila and neighbouring Bayaru village of Kerala, it has not completely reached to grinding halt. Once in a while a suranga is dug here and there.

Govinda Bhat is optimistic. He doesn't think that the skill of digging surangas would die in near future. "So far as those interested in getting surangas dug are there, it won't die. It won't die for the want of diggers," he confides.

Interestingly, half of the houses in the village have a hill on the back or front. This is a pretty ideal situation for surangas. Achyutha Bhat feels that there is still scope to dig more surangas in the village. "If the banks start giving loans for this purpose, there would be more takers. Why can't they finance this traditional, proven sustainable system than financing bore wells that aren't dependable?" he asks. In Manila, though there are about 200 bore wells, according to Govinda Bhat, only about a dozen are yielding water.

Achyutha Bhat who brought surangas to Manila has not only been instrumental in extending it to the whole village, he has also kept the tradition alive for decades by training many newcomers.

Achyutha Bhat's phone: +91-8255-237 115

(Courtesy: http://www.indiatogether.org)

Professor’s 'new type' house

A university professor in Shimoga had the fore-sight to make his home nearly autonomous from various public utilities, and alongside do his part for the environment. And when his neighbours were slow to learn, he set out to educate them too.

Shree Padre

At the house-warming ceremony in this new home in Shimoga's Lal Bahadur Shastri Nagar, Dr Sreepathi presented all the guests with a specially written booklet, printed at considerable expenditure to himself, about roof water harvesting. He had decided, during construction, that he would harvest the rain falling on his roof, choosing this option first, and digging an open well only later.

And having made his choice, he decided he would teach others about it too. "Showing by practice is the best way", he says politely. The house, constructed four years ago, has a total capacity to store 30,000 litres of rain water. A 20,000-litre tank is under the dining hall. The other one, with half as much capacity, is beneath the portico. "Won't worms grow in the stored rainwater?" A lot of visitors to his home ask this question, and Sreepathi, true to his 'showing by practice' way, decided to test the water in the tank in April 2005. Despite having been stored for months since the previous monsoon, the water was still potable.

As it turned out, for Sreepathi, the choice of a harvesting system in preference to relying on the open well was prudent too in more than one way. The first problem was that the well yielded slightly saline water, and the roof-top rains were therefore much needed for cooking and drinking. Moreover, since the construction of the house, Sreepathi has been measuring the water level in his well every month, and he's been thankful not to have relied on it much. "Though I'm recharging my open well, the annual decline rate of water table around here is alarming. It was 18 feet below ground in April 2004. Two years later, it had fallen to 23.5 feet. A decline of 5.5 feet in just two seasons", he worries.

Total ecology

The house, in fact, is a total harvesting zone for rain water. Excess water from the sump is used to recharge the ground well. Even grey water, i.e. water that has been already used for washing and bathing, isn't wasted, either. A separate open pit is constructed at the back of the house to gather this; every morning, Sreepathi manually fills this water in a rose can to drench his vegetable plants. Even in summer, the plants don't require separate fresh water
The family's eco-friendly practices are much older than the house itself. For the last 12 years, they haven't taken any waste material outside their compound; instead, it's composted and used for their kitchen garden. Sreepathi uses a bicycle for his local trips, while his wife Mamatha, a college lecturer, moves on an electric-powered moped.

Whenever the sun permits, cooking in the home is done using a solar cooker. Hot water for bathing is also obtained courtesy of the sun. Indeed, so much is the home's reliance on solar power that the house is itself named Vibha, a Sanskrit word for the sun. Even during the nights, it's the sun that keeps the house lit, thanks to solar lights that store charge during the day in batteries. The house's careful design also permits natural air-flow. During summer, air flows from south west direction. To guide that air-flow inside, the north side windows are fitted with vertical projections called wind breaks. Surprisingly, there is no electric fan or light inside the home. Electricity has only two uses here - for the motor pump and for the fridge. Though municipal water is available, Vibha hasn't taken a connection.

The roof is twelve feet above the floor. The height and the hollowness of the roofing material keep the interiors cool. The terra-cotta hollow tiles have air gaps inside. These act as insulation and reduce heat transfer. Compared to concrete, the thermal conductivity of clay - from which these roofs are made - is much lower. As such, the heat transfer is lesser. A solar-powered exhaust fan connected to a PVC pipe from inside the tanka opens into the bed room on the first floor. Once it is switched on, it facilitates the cool air to come up and enter the room. "All these arrangements keep the house 2 to 3 degrees cooler than the neighboring houses", points out Sreepathi.

There are houses elsewhere in the state that have adopted only water harvesting, or solar lighting, and a few have both. But Sreepathi is yet to come across a house that has as many eco-friendly features as his Vibha.

Mental blocks
Vibha draws many visitors. Every week 2-3 people come to have a look at that 'new type house'. That makes a minimum of 500 visitors a year. "Though there are water shortages, very few people get convinced about rainwater harvesting", observes Mamatha, "One major mental block is about the potability of stored rain water. The impression is that the tap water is best. Those who construct new houses don't mind getting granite stone all the way from Rajasthan, and paying for that. Still, for them, the one-time investment for rain harvesting appears to be expensive."

Adds Sreepathi, "Even if they save 10 per cent in the expenditure on flooring, they can make a dependable arrangement for water. Rs.30,000-40,000 would provide them a good storage structure that will provide year round water."

Take Shimoga's Ashwathanagar locality, for example. Houses here don't have municipal water supply. Not a single open well here has water. The number of bore wells is increasing. Though they have Sreepathi's live example nearby, they don't mind waiting for hours in queues for the tanker water than independently tapping the rain. Recently, as a result of Sreepathi's constant encouragement, two families - that of Madhava Shastry and D S Ramakrishna - have now started utilising rain. "In the entire city, only about 35 families that are harvesting rain", tells Sreepathi with disappointment, "Except these examples, the city is far far behind in water literacy."

To fix that, the professor has been spending considerable time and efforts to popularise rain water harvesting in and around Shimoga. At Jawaharalal Nehru National College of Engineering where he works, he has floated an organisation, Chirantana Club to create awareness about sustainable living. He himself has written dramas on water conservation and had them enacted by students. In the last three years, he has held 60 awareness programmes on rain harvesting, on request by various organisations.

In 2002, a group of good-hearted citizens had started a Task Force for Rain Water Harvesting in Shimoga to offer guidance to those interested. Elsewhere in Karnataka, thanks to media coverage, thousands are interested in harvesting rain on their own, but unfortunately, there is nobody to show them how. In Shimoga, the irony is that a band of people who are ready to guide others do not find many takers.

Of late, the situation is slowly changing, perhaps as a result of increasing need for the citizens to have autonomous solutions. Sreepathi himself has guided a few families in the recent past. One outstanding project out of this is at the cultural centre Gamaka Bhavan at Hosahally, in the outskirts of the city where a 1.75 lakh litres tank is being constructed below the stage. The top of the tank would be the dais.

Shree Padre is a journalist with many years of experience in agricultural reporting. He is the author of several books, including one on rainwater harvesting, published by Altermedia. Dr Sreepathi can be contacted at (08182) 274 952, Mobile : 94480 00643, or sreepathi_lk@hotmail.com.

Photo details:

1. open well which has connection from storage tank. Excess water from tank in the rainy season goes to this well

2. Rain water filter

3. Rain water filter with storage tank( you can see the black cover of the tank) cap: 20,000 litres. (another type)

4.Used water storage tank for recycling

5.Front view of the house

(Article cour’tesy: http://www.indiatogether.org/ Photos by: Dr. Sreepathi)