The paucity of water in Bundelkhand and subsequent suffering of human race has been the harsh reality of people in the region for long. But this cannot be said for Banda where community and administration joined hands for the cause of water conservation under the Kuan Talab Bachao Abhiyan started in 2019.

Most of the handpumps, ponds, and wells in the district were dysfunctional while the community connect to preserve and maintain the shared resource had been lost. Also, groundwater level in the district kept fluctuating with season.

The shortage added to water woes of the people who were clueless about their fate as they had no understanding of the problem. Also, the knowledge and sensitivity towards water conservation among people led to household stress, low commercial productivity and overall impaired societal growth.

At this juncture, pressure groups knocked the doors of the district administration which was also suffering due to water crisis. In the quest for solution, it was decided that the gap between service providers and community members must be bridged by re-establishing the bond of people with their water bodies.

A structured tool of water budgeting using Jal Chaupal model towards democratization of water developed by WaterAid India, an international not for profit organization, was included for use under the campaign by the district administration.

In Phase-1 of the campaign, Bhujal Badhao Peyajal Bachao Abhiyaan, which was conducted from January to March 2019, at least 34,732 people participated in Jal Chaupal in 469 gram panchayats directly were made aware about their water budget (demand and supply), rates of groundwater depletion of various strata and changes in rainfall patterns observed by community over last 20 years. This also triggered community action towards shramdaan.

To ensure its success, we adopted a collaborative approach and prioritized mass ownership as the fundamental strength, starting off by creating a formal district-level water committee comprising key officials from all water related departments, civil society members and technical water experts.

As a result of the one-month long campaign, 2,605 contour trenches have been constructed by community members around 260 wells and 2183 hand pumps across eight blocks and 470 gram panchayats in Banda. These contour trenches have created additional 110001 cubic metres per annum.

The efforts were scaled up in the second phase. Success of the phase-1 of the campaign was showcased to people which had a ripple effect. Launched from April-November in 2019 as ‘Kuan Taalab Jiao Abhiyaan’ (Bring life back to ponds and wells campaign), the second phase of the campaign showed startling outcomes, including record increase in the average water table of Banda (increased by 1.34m across Banda) by December 2020, which solved the drinking water crisis of the region.

Its impact also showed up in the form of an increment of 18.5% in the agricultural productivity of the place which improved the income generation of local population. Increased groundwater level also impacts climate change with higher water recharge, base-flow, and increased evapo-transpiration under dry conditions and high temperatures. This resulted in better rain cycle. Also, disputes around water used to create law and order challenge in the region but better availability led to a decline on this count.

The achievements invited recognition and accolades which reinforced the message. The campaign initiative received awards nationally and internationally including Smart Cities India Awards (2019), Habitat for Humanity India Innovation and Impact Award (2019), Limca Books of Records, Rajat Ki Boonden National Water Award (2020), Elets National Water Innovation Awards (2020), and Jal Prahri Award, among others. The biggest take away from the Banda model of water conservation is its ease of replicability that rests on the fact that empowering communities can do magic.

(The author is a civil servant who led the campaign as the DM of Banda)

Publication's Link : https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/banda-from-parched-land-to-a-water-positive-district/articleshow/86979184.cms