In another step towards implementation of the State’s climate change action plan, an innovation of some retired Odia engineers regarding subsurface recharge through rainwater harvest management has proved successful in 10 blocks of six districts.
Chief Secretary Jugal Kishore Mohapatra reviewed the technique and its application at a high-level experience sharing discussion here on Saturday where this group of engineers led by Banamali Naik explained the technique, its application, possible cost involvement and outcomes.
The Chief Secretary advised for replication of the technique in 40 to 50 drought-prone blocks during this year. He said the method’s success in a large area depends on intensive awareness of people and meticulous training of the implementing engineers. The Water Resources Department and the Watershed Development Mission were advised to undertake awareness activities on the value of rainwater and benefits of harvesting it at the subsurface level.
It was also decided that the engineers implementing the project would be trained through direct field exposure. The Watershed Development Mission was advised to coordinate and monitor the project of replication.
It was revealed that surface storage of rainwater, though helpful for groundwater recharge, has certain limitations. Sufficient water cannot be stored in a surface reservoir that can support cropping over any significantly large area.
The experts opined that one 20-hectare water harvesting structure (WHS) can at best hold a maximum of 17 per cent of runoff water from a watershed area of 500 hectares. The groundwater recharge also gets limited through surface storage because the reservoirs get silted up very soon which prevent significant seepage down to the subsoil.
In response to this situation, the group of engineers, named as BB Consultants, led by Naik from its observation and experimentation over a long period of time has discovered the technique of storing water at the subsurface level. This subsurface level storage will be within 10 meters of the surface level, from which vegetation can source the water, wells will be recharged, canals will get water and such storage will also add to moister level of the soil.
This is a low-cost technology in which the investment per hectare will come between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000.The technology has been piloted in the blocks of Tarabha in Subarnapur district, Maneswar in Sambalpur, Barkote in Deogarh, Ghatgaon and Patana in Keonjhar, Padmapur, Paikamala, Bhatli and Jharbandh in Bargarh and Banpur in Khordha district. The application of the technology has yielded targeted benefits.
These piloting works have been done through Government agencies like the Western Odisha Development Council, Western Odisha Rural livelihood Project, Integrated Watershed Management Project and Chilika Development Authority. The application of the technology has also been facilitated through the NABARD and corporate agencies in Bansapal and Ghatgaon blocks of Keonjhar district, Thakurmunda block of Mayurbhanj, Mohana of Gajapati and Hinjilikatu block of Ganjam district.
Water Resources Principal Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra, Panchayati Raj Secretary Deo Ranjan Kumar Singh, Director of Agriculture S Gopalan and Director of Watershed Development Mission Sujata Kartikeyan participated in the discussion.