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NREGA / Right to Work | NREGA turns its focus on farm ponds -Aswin J Kumar

NREGA turns its focus on farm ponds -Aswin J Kumar

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published Published on Mar 30, 2018   modified Modified on Mar 30, 2018
-The Times of India

Thiruvananthapuram: The efforts of district NREGA cell to recreate assets to deal with possible drought situation have produced good results in some of the rural panchayats in the district.
 
Construction of farm ponds which was extensively carried out under employment guarantee scheme has gifted the district with over 2,000 farm ponds in areas where agriculture is the predominant occupation. The move also triggered a shift from the usual pattern of works carried out under NREGA.

The project to construct farm ponds began as part of Haritha Keralam Mission’s ongoing attempts at soil and water conservation. 2,032 farm ponds were dug by NREGA workers across 73 panchayats in the district and according to the estimate these ponds have a cumulative capacity to store 3.72 lakh kilolitres of water.

“There was some resistance from the side of workers when we started the project in November. It demanded continuous hard physical labour and naturally the workers were reluctant, but very soon their apprehensions could be addressed,” said K Chandrasekharan Nair, joint programme co-ordinator, NREGA, Thiruvananthapuram.

As the first step, areas were identified where farmers owned small-scale land holdings. Chirayinkeezhu and Athiyannur panchayats have long suffered the aftereffects of depleting ground water levels and it had become a matter of necessity to undertake something that could help the villagers revive the water bodies. Vamanapuram block panchayat led from the front with most number of farm ponds and Pullampara gram panchayat in Vamanapuram, a village which had been severely affected by water scarcity now boasts of over 20 farm ponds across six sites.

“All these ponds have been dug by women. A few were not willing to in the start because they were supposed to work with pick axe and shovels. As days progressed, the excitement also grew. We went around convincing all of them as to how this project could provide a long lasting solution to the water shortage problem,” said Sujatha P, chairperson, development standing committee, Pullampara village panchayat.

Most ponds were 15 m long, 10 m wide and 3 m deep and in the case of mini ponds the dimension has been reduced to 8 m (length).

These workers also undertook the task of laying coir geo textile as a side stabilization measure. “Our first target was 1,500. Now we have dug over 2,000 ponds,” said Chandrasekharan Nair.

As the next step, the project cell has initiated talks with fish farmers development agency to start inland pisciculture in these ponds. “Interested farmers, who have given their land to dig farm ponds, can be a part of this project. An MoU has already been signed,” said Chandrasekharan Nair.
 
The Times of India, 28 March, 2018, please click here to access

The Times of India, 28 March, 2018, https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/nrega-turns-its-focus-on-farm-ponds/articleshow/63523144.cms


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