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
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
Devendra Kumar Tiwari Alka Tiwari  IAS Jharkhand
First IAS Couple in India to Hold Both Chief Secretary & State Election Commissioner Posts Consecutively - Know This Powerful Pair
Policing, Trust, and Investment: Insights from IPF - Indian Masterminds
Indian Police Foundation Marks 10 Years, Discussion on How Policing Builds Investor Confidence
Madhya Pradesh football training
Mini Brazil to Germany: Vicharpur’s Young Footballers Get CM Mohan Yadav’s Blessings on Vijayadashami Week
bureaucracy news
Centre Announces Key Bureaucratic Appointments & Deputation Extensions: Neeraj Surendran, Arun G, Anand Mohan Among Key Names
PM Modi CM Nitish Kumar
Bihar Receives Rs. 10,219 Crore from Centre: A Festive Gift On Vijayadashami to Fuel Development & Welfare, Backed by GST Reforms
Chhattisgarh government
Chhattisgarh CM Charts Development Roadmap: Push for Capital Expenditure, Biometric Attendance, & Transparent Governance
Vishnu Deo Sai CM
Chhattisgarh Gets Rs. 3,462 Crore Boost from Modi Government: Here's How CM Sai Pledges To Spend It!
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
Ravikant Meena on IFS Preparation, Optionals, and Life in Forest Service
Siddhartha Saxena UPSC CAPF
How Siddhartha Saxena Cracked UPSC CAPF AIR 326 Against All Odds
Dr. S.K
Technology Meets Ecology: IFS Dr S K Srivastava’s Game-Changing Innovations in Forest Management | Eco Warrior Awards 2025 Interview
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar Live Interaction
From Cut-off Dates to Coaching & Reforms: UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar Assures Aspirants of Fairness, Transparency & a Future-Ready UPSC | UPSC@100
A Century of Service: The UPSC’s Landmark Year Begins. Chairman Ajay Kumar on UPSC’s Centennial: “Merit,...
Giriraj Parihar MPPSC 2024
From Constable to Deputy Collector: Giriraj Parihar’s 9-Year MPPSC Journey | Farmer’s Son, Brother to Five Sisters
From a jail guard to MPPSC 2024 Rank 8, Giriraj Parihar’s nine-year journey of self-study, hard work,...
Ankit MPPSC 2024 Rank 3
From Village Dreams to Deputy Collector’s Chair: Meet Ankit, MPPSC Rank 3 Hindi Medium Topper
Ankit, a Hindi-medium aspirant from Balaghat, secured Rank 3 in MPPSC 2024 and became Deputy Collector...
Social Media
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...
Parag Madhukar Dhakate
Relentless Rains Wreak Havoc in Dehradun: IFS officer PM Dhakate Warns Citizens Amid Flash Floods
Cloudbursts in Dehradun triggered flash floods. IFS officer Dr. PM Dhakate warned citizens to stay indoors...
Forest Guard Tiger Encounter
Tigers Clash in the Wild as Forest Guards Capture Rare Footage , Retired IFS Mohan Pargaien Posts Viral Video
Retired IFS officer Mohan Pargaien shares viral video of three tigers brawling in Ramnagar, as forest...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
India’s Missile Strikes on 11 Pakistani Airbases Forced Islamabad Into Panic: Ex-UK Envoy Reveals Secret Saudi Defense Pact
Devendra Kumar Tiwari Alka Tiwari  IAS Jharkhand
First IAS Couple in India to Hold Both Chief Secretary & State Election Commissioner Posts Consecutively - Know This Powerful Pair
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
Siddhartha Saxena UPSC CAPF
Dr. S.K
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT