I get very disappointed to hear many farmers are suiciding due to water problems in Andhra Pradesh. Can we think how discouraging is this ? A person who is feeding our country, our nation is dying everyday. In Rajasthan also we have water crisis. Every year a lot of cultivated crops gets destroyed due to lack of water.
I have a farm in Gulabpura near Bhilwara, Rajasthan on highway side. There is also water crisis in those areas. So many farms are dependent on rain water. Most of the crops are dependent on rain water. Many areas in Rajasthan are waiting for canal for water, but these were the only non-fulfilled promises. A canal can change the picture of our state but we have to do something for that.
Finally I decided to have a canal in my own farm by myself. Luckily my farm is near to highway and highway extension was going on. So I allowed contractors to take sand from my farm in such a manner that a 600 meter 40 feet canal can be developed. The canal was getting developed on the boundaries of farm where the water gets accumulated during rainy season based on the slope. Slowly a 600 meter canal was developed with a depth of 20 feet. It was developed in such a way that one side of canal was near to the well. So if canal is filled in rainy season it will slowly recharge the well.
After 2 years of development, same thing happened as planned. That year it was heavy rain and the whole canal filled with water. It was looking amazing. Everything happened as planned. Canal water was easily pumped for harvesting and it recharged the well water also. The ground water level in my farm was 100 feet around which was reduced to 20 feet in 4-5 years.
Below are the pics of my farm and my canal. If I can make this dream happen then anyone can achieve this. Many farmers can develop their own canal in their farms which will not only solve the water crisis but also recharge the ground water.
Isn't it amazing to see such a greenery in desert state like Rajasthan.
Author:
Ramniwas Mahala
Bank of Baroda
Rawatbhata.
