Check dams at Vetye lift well water overnight, villagers say

Sawantwadi: With drought-like conditions in Sindhudurg, water conservation drives are under way across the district with public participation. Vetye gram panchayat in Sawantwadi taluka has begun building vanrai bandharas (temporary check dams), and villagers say water levels in nearby wells rose within a single night.

Collector Trupti Dhodmise, Zilla Parishad president Pramod Kamat, tehsildar Shridhar Patil and sub-divisional officer Virsing Vasave took part in the shramdaan (voluntary labour), along with the sarpanch, elected representatives, staff and schoolchildren. Such dams hold back rainwater so that it seeps into the ground.

Collector Dhodmise said the principle of "stop the water, let it soak in" had to be followed to beat the shortage, and that residents should play an active part in building dams and conserving water sources. Percolation tanks will also be built and repaired, she said.

Kamat said the water conservation drive was being run under "Trigger 1" at the initiative of minister Nitesh Rane. Women's self-help groups have built 1,475 dams so far, and the plan is to build more through 5,000 groups. With residents' help, he said, the administration's target of 10,000 dams would be exceeded.

Source: Tarun Bharat