Boost in profits as Rajasthan farmers turn to rainwater harvesting - Hindustan Times
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Boost in profits as Rajasthan farmers turn to rainwater harvesting

Hindustan Times, Jaipur | By
Jun 12, 2019 02:03 PM IST

Kumarappa Institute of Gram Swaraj a Jaipur based NGO took the initiative of recharging dry wells through rainwater harvesting and chose Chaksu panchayat samiti.

Babu Lal Bairwa (45) of Theekariya Gujaran village, 70kms from Jaipur under Chaksu panchayat samiti has12.5 hectares of land has a 105feet deep well that went dry15 years ago. He then dug a tube well, which gave water for 3-4 years before it went dry.

During rains, the rainwater from the field is directed to these collection pits, the water then enters the collection pits via a series of trenches or pipes thus replenishing the water tables and aquifers(HT File Photo / Representative image)
During rains, the rainwater from the field is directed to these collection pits, the water then enters the collection pits via a series of trenches or pipes thus replenishing the water tables and aquifers(HT File Photo / Representative image)

He said, “When there was no water, I got another tube well dug at a depth of 100-feet, which was giving little water. I came to know about recharging of dry wells through rainwater harvesting done at Bawanpura village, so I decided to get the structure build in my fields too.”

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Bairwa in 2018 got the structure made and his well got water and as the result there was enough water in the second tube well due to which he had sown wheat in 2018-19 Rabi season along with mustard.

He said, “Due to availability of water, the yields were 10%-15% more and income too increased by around 20%. Prior to 2018, in kharif nothing is sown as there was no water and in rabi season, only mustard was sown as it requires less water compared to wheat, he informed.

The soil in villages in Chaksu panchayat samiti is clayey as a result water does not percolate into the ground hence it gets accumulated in the fields or flow into nearby rivulet or river or other land during rains.

Kumarappa Institute of Gram Swaraj (KIGS), a Jaipur based NGO took the initiative of recharging dry wells through rainwater harvesting and chose Chaksu panchayat samiti. KIGS project director Amit Kumar said in 2016, a model of this system was made at Bawanpur village to showcase to villagers of nearby villages. Villagers saw the model and recharge structures were made in 15 wells in

2017-18. Kumar said, “out of 15 wells water table increased from

2 to 17 feet in eight wells.” Similarly, Rajendra Gurjar (25) of Thuni Madanmohanpura village said he has 4.5 hectares of land and his well dried in 2012. He said during rainy season bajra crop is sown and in winters mustard was sown. Now he got the structure made and depending on the rains will sow wheat this rabi season. Earlier in kharif he used to get ~30,000-~

40,000 by selling bajra, but this year, he expects that by sowing wheat, he will earn ~1.20 lakh. Mishri Lal (62) of Garhi Lashkari village too has built the structure and his income has gone up.

Shankar Lal (40) of Garudwasi village is getting the structure constructed and hopes that with good rains this year, he will get the dried well recharged and will get good yields in Rabi season. “I have recently come to know about this structure and is getting it constructed before monsoon,” Lal said.

Kumar said each structure costs approximately ~40,000 and he is collecting money from philanthropists. This year, 25 dry wells will be recharged, he added. .

KIGS project director said preference is given to deep dried wells. Recharge water pans (pits) of size 6x7x4 feet are constructed in farmers’ fields to collect surface water run off during rainy season.

During rains, the rainwater from the field is directed to these collection pits. The water then enters the collection pits via a series of trenches or pipes thus replenishing the water tables and aquifers.

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