It’s been an uphill battle for the seaside town of Pondicherry in the Union Territory of Puducherry over the past few months as district officials made every effort to rejuvenate, renovate and restore water bodies in the district, many of which were almost lost or encroached upon. The initiative is a part of Puducherry’s Neerum Oorum (Water and Village) Scheme to adopt water bodies, renovate them and protect them. According to District Collector, Dr. T. Arun, many of the water bodies and ponds were almost lost, overrun as they were with foliage, waste or encroachments. Some of them were almost flat and dry. “Given the high levels of groundwater exploitation, water shortage is common here during many months. So we decided to set things right.” he said.

Introduction Karippechal stream flows through Cherthala South, Kadakkarappally and Kanjikuzhi Gram Panchayats of Kanjikuzhi Block Panchayat of Alappuzha District. Over the years, the deposits from the shoreline and river pollution silted the flow of the stream, causing flood and other related disasters during the rainy season. This affected the lives of the people, especially those who were living on the shoreline. The floods also led to unhealthy living conditions such as contamination of drinking water, improper sanitation facilities, waterborne diseases, etc., during the monsoon season. Three local self-government bodies of the district, namely, Kanjikuzhi Block Panchayat (BP), Kadakkarappally GP and Cherthala South GP worked in synergy for revival of the stream by desilting it.

Introduction Alaburu Gram Panchayat is located in Hagaribommanahalli block of Ballari District, and it has been facing water shortage issues. As a result, the families living there are prone to distress migration. In order to recharge the groundwater table and to increase the irrigation potential of the locality, the villagers of the Gram Panchayat have decided to harvest the rainwater by constructing multiarch check dams so that the effects of the drought are mitigated and durable water conservation assets are created. The check dams would help to prevent soil erosion, conserve soil moisture and recharge aquifer.

In order to initiate a workable water conservation drive, while enriching the groundwater-table and restoring traditional water bodies, the district administration of water stressed Rewari in Haryana has come out with a district water conservation plan. To begin with, all Gram Panchayats took inventories of existing water related infrastructure in their villages. The data was then integrated at block level and further integrated and compiled at the district Level. This facilitated the development of Rewari District Water Conservation Plan.

Oliamba village is located in the Chhota Udepur District of Gujarat,which is predominantly populated by the Rathwa tribe. To the north of the villagelies the Orsangatributary, which is an important tributary of the Narmada River. The village has undulating land interspersed with small hills, rivers and nallas. Two-thirds of the land in the village is under agricultural use, most of which (91%) is rainfed. In rabi season, when work is not available in the village, people migrate with their families to other parts of Gujarat, mainly to Saurashtra, for their livelihood.