Nuapada, September 14 (Odisha.in) A watershed project created by local villagers with the help of the government in the underdeveloped district of Nuapada has bagged the prestigious Bhoomijal Samvardhan Puraskar / National Water Award -2007, official said Friday.
Chilnala watershed which got the award is located in the Komana block of the district. It covers two revenue villages Choukapada and Daldali of Kurumpuri Gram panchayat.
Mission Leader Dr. Mrinalini DarswalWater shed committee president Dambarudhar Mohanand received the award from President Prativa Patil on 11th September at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
The watershed Association is registered under Societies registration act in the year 2002-03. Total households of the watershed area are 254 household and population is 1394 persons.
The geographical area and treatable area of the project is 612.29 hectare and 584.00 hectare a respectively. No of male and female population in the watershed area is Male – 695, female- 699 respectively.
The people of Chahakpada & Daldali village had been witnessing drought like situation for want of stored water to use in agriculture as well as for domestic purposes.
Majority of villagers frequently migrate to cities in search of livelihood every year. In 2002 the villagers requested to the A.S.C.O, Nuapada to start watershed programmes in their villages.
After survey, Watershed development activities started under Revised Long Term Action Plan (RLTAP) under Additional Central Assistance (ACA) scheme for KBK.
The major focus area is treatment and management of natural resources. The committee has been led very well by Mr. Satya Narayan Sahu , WDT members with technically guidance of Mr. Susanta Kumar Mallick, ASCO ,Nuapada and Dr. Sarat Chandra Behera ( PD, Watershed) time to time.
Chilnala watershedRidge to valley approach has been adopted on priority basis, which has resulted in construction of 7 percolation tanks, 12 gully control structures and 3 nos check dams, 10 nos run off management structures, 38 nos farm ponds, 41 loose boulder structures, Linking canals, one vikash kutir (community hall) and mixed tree plantations in 20 ha. The project has helped in formation of 20 user groups with total membership of 140 members.
These groups have generated a Watershed Development Fund (WDF) to the tune of Rs. 1.50 lakh. Besides, there are 10 women Self Help Groups (SHGs) with a total of 108 members and a total savings of Rs 4.181 lakhs.
Besides these, the villagers have also started contributing labour voluntarily (shramadan) for village cleaning, de-siltation of village tanks. Backyard plantation amounting to 4000 plants has been taken up in the village. Grafted mango plantation was done on lands of 41 beneficiaries, which have started fruiting this year
The key highlight of the initiative is the use of innovative technologies such as Percolation tanks, farm ponds and interlinking water courses through creation of a chain of canals to help increase ground water availability in the area.
After getting the News, Dr. Mrinalini Darswal, IAS, Collector cum Mission Leader, Nuapada congratulated to all the members who are involved in the process and contributed for the Award.
Odisha.in
