https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Record breaking Community Ponds Mitigate Water Crisis Tirupattur

Tirupattur district administration started to dig ponds as solution of dipping water level 1,556 farm ponds dug in 30 days and many more are being created as the initiative is still on Collector D Baskara Pandian got posted in district in February and started this initiative after 3 months
Indian Masterminds Stories

Tirupattur (Tirupathur) in Tamil Nadu is one of the worst drought-hit districts in the state. A predominantly rural district, it has limited connection with rivers and lakes. Ground water level is also continuously decreasing. But the collector of the district IAS officer Thiru. D. Baskara Pandian had a solution for this problem. He has created a world record by getting 1546 farm ponds constructed in just 30 days across the district through the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA).

More ponds are still being constructed in villages. These ponds will act as water storage pits during the monsoon and recharge groundwater as well. This initiative has also provided employment to more than 40 thousand people under MGNREGS. Now administration is also planning to plant trees around these ponds, which will not only boost the green cover, but enhance the life of ponds and the employment as well.

Indian Masterminds interacted with collector Mr Pandian, to know more about his initiative.

Records Citation Being Conferred to Collector D. Baskara Pandian (second from left) (Credit: Social Media)

THE WORLD RECORD INITIATIVE

The initiative was started on July 1st this year. And the record was created within a month – from July 1st to 31st. Through this achievement, Tirupattur has surpassed Tiruvannamalai district which set a world record in the same category by creating 1,121 farm ponds in 2021.

Teams from USA-based Elite World Records, the UAE-based Asian Records Academy, Indian Records Academy, and Tamizhan Book of Records have confirmed the monumental achievement of Tirupattur.

The initiative covered 208 villages in all four Talukas. The district administration has now decided to create a large number of ponds in the district. For this, all the Panchayats have been instructed to construct the ponds on community lands.

But it was not as easy as it seems. The administration started door-to-door awareness campaign about the Farm Pond scheme before two months of implementing the scheme. They also started an environmentally conscious effort to conserve rainwater, saving the dipping water level, plants, and other species.

Mr Pandian said, “The primary objective of this scheme was to boost the groundwater level and to create employment opportunity. As this rural district is fighting with water crisis, millets and sugar cane crops affected by water scarcity. So this initiative aims at harvesting rain water during monsoon, providing sufficient water for agricultural purposes and creating awareness to understand the water crisis better in every possible way.”

Community ponds (Credit: Social Media)

EMPLOYMENT & PONDS

The whole project was implemented with an approximate budget of Rs. 30.92 Crores under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). Each farm pond was having the cost around Rs. 2 lakhs. Each farm pond is 72 feet long, 32 feet wide and six feet deep with a storage capacity of 2 lakh litre of water.

The initiative also has helped to create employment opportunities for rural people as each pond provided employment to more than 200 people.

In the starting, administration encouraged individuals with leased land to register for farm ponds. Later, they also community land for digging the pond and it became a big success. Now, more than 1100 ponds are on community land. The entire project was completed by the unskilled labourers under MGNREGA.

Mr Pandian said, “The district was facing severe water shortage. The more feasible solution to this problem is to create water bodies and filling them with rain water. This year we have received good rainfall and our ponds are full of water. That is why this scheme is successful.”

Collector D Baskara Pandian, other official and villagers, while starting the project and digging the pond (Credit: Social Media)

THE SUCCESS

The success of this project belongs to community involvement. Yes, the micro-level planning by administration is also a big reason behind the success, but community’s involvement gave it a big push. The initiativeinvolves brainstorming sessions with DRDA team, farmers and experts with having many discussions, meetings, and workshops on farm pond creation process and its significance.

The farm ponds will also promote fish farming, offering farmers an opportunity to diversify their agricultural businesses.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
CQB carbine
Decade of Transformation: Army Signs ₹27,770 Crore Deal for 4.25 Lakh Made-in-India CQB Carbines
Rajaji tiger reserve
Wildlife Adventure Returns: Rajaji Tiger Reserve to Resume Jungle Safari from 15 November 2025 — Online Registration Now Open
Panna police
Panna Police Under Siege: SHO and Constable Injured as Villagers Launch Brutal Attack
MP Police games
Khaki Power on the Podium: MP Police Shine at All India Police Games 2025 with Gold, Yoga & Judo Glory
India Russia R-37M missile talks
India Russia R-37M Missile Talks Advances to Arm Su-30MKI fighters
IAF MRFA project
114 Fighters, One Mission — MoD Pushes for 100% Indian Involvement in IAF MRFA Project
Ias sam rizvi
Hyderabad: Principal Secretary IAS SAM Rizvi Opts for Voluntary Retirement Amid Dispute with Telangana Excise Minister Jupally Krishna Rao
MP-Police-
Madhya Pradesh IPS Transfers: 7 Senior Officers Shifted in Midnight Reshuffle; Rajababu Singh, Irshad Wali Among Key Names
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-19 at 12.23
UPSC Journey Should Be Enjoyable, Not Cumbersome
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-16 at 15.16
The Many Facets of Former IRS Officer and Author, Giselle Mehta | Video Interview
IDES Saquib Alam
Beyond IAS and IPS: The Inspiring Work of an IDES officer | Video Interview 
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
IAS Rupal Rana UPSC
How Rupal Rana Cracked UPSC CSE 2023 with AIR 26 After Four Attempts
UPSC Topper Rupal Rana secured AIR 26 in 2023 after four attempts. Learn her preparation strategy, booklist,...
Ankita Parashar RAS 2023
4 Attempts, 1 Dream, 0 Excuses: Meet RAS Topper Ankita Parashar, Who Fulfilled a Daughter’s Promise & Secured Rank 2 | Exclusive Interview
Ankita Parashar, a teacher-turned-officer from Pushkar, fulfilled her late father’s dream by securing...
Kushal Chaudhary RAS
From Lab Assistant’s Grit to Rajasthan Topper: How Kushal Chaudhary Topped RAS 2023 with Self-Study | Preparation, Strategy & Interview
Kushal Chaudhary, a farmer’s son and lab assistant from Ajmer, topped RAS 2023 through self-study, overcoming...
Social Media
IFS Parveen Kaswan
Heartbreak by the River: 15-Day-Old Elephant Calf Rejected by Mother, Rescued by IFS Parveen Kaswan and His Team
Jaldapra, West Bengal: In a moving incident that tugs at the heart, a 15-day-old elephant calf was rescued...
Ashwini Bhide IAS and Anand Mahindra
Who Is IAS Ashwini Bhide, Hailed as a Role Model for Mumbai Metro Transformation by Anand Mahindra?
From heritage to high-tech: Bhide’s leadership in Metro Line 3 earns public praise and admiration
World Rhino Day India
On World Rhino Day, IFS Officer Parveen Kaswan Shares Rare Insights - India Now Hosts 80% of the World’s One-Horned Rhinos
September 22 Marks Global Call for Rhino Conservation; India Holds 80% of World’s Greater One-Horned...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
CQB carbine
Decade of Transformation: Army Signs ₹27,770 Crore Deal for 4.25 Lakh Made-in-India CQB Carbines
Rajaji tiger reserve
Wildlife Adventure Returns: Rajaji Tiger Reserve to Resume Jungle Safari from 15 November 2025 — Online Registration Now Open
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-19 at 12.23
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-16 at 15.16
IDES Saquib Alam
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT