As the Government of Tamil Nadu is working intensively on augmenting the groundwater levels across the state by making maximum use of the northwest monsoon, Erode district in Tamil Nadu is taking various steps to conserve as much water as possible and also increase the green cover to recharge the groundwater level.
The district administration of Erode is working on a comprehensive water management project called ‘Eeram Erode’. Under this project, various initiatives related to water conservation and a better ecosystem are being actively pursued.
A website of this project, developed and designed by the Collector of Erode, Mr. H Krishnanunni, was launched on World Water Day at the National Informatics Centre (NIC) in the Collectorate. Indian Masterminds spoke to him to get more details about the initiative.
OBJECTIVE
While speaking to Indian Masterminds, Mr H Krishnanunni said, “The main aim of the initiative is to bring all the water-related activities under one umbrella for maximum water conservation.”
He said that the administration has identified all major water bodies in the district. There are around five dams, 22 major tanks, 21 minor irrigation tanks and a total of 690 water bodies.
“After identification, we realised that some water bodies require restoration or other conservation activities,” he said.
WATERBODY RESTORATION
Apart from the routine water restoration activities in the district, the biggest project that was carried out was restoring the Punjai Palatholuvu lake which spreads across 250 acres. Mr. Krishnanunni said, “The lake is situated in the driest belts of the district. By restoring this water body, we hope that in the next rainy season, there will be immense water storage there.”
3 MI tanks of the Rural Development department – Pungampalli, Nallur tanks in Bhavanisagar blocks and Karadipatti Yeri in Ammapettai block – have been taken up by the Environmentalist Foundation of India (EFI) for restoration. Two tanks in Nambiyur TP have been taken up for renovation by Olirum Erodu Foundation. Similarly, the town panchayat is taking up renovation of 13 ponds within its limits.
Not just water restoration, but the administration is also focusing on increasing the green cover in the district.
PLANTATION DRIVE
On World Water Day, the district administration started a special initiative of planting more than 75,000 trees. Collector Krishnanunni said, “This is not a one-time initiative, but it will an ongoing project. Under this, we are planting grown trees with an aim to increase the green cover through natural species. This also helps in the ecological way, as the chance of the tree growing up increases by 90-95 per cent.”
CATCHING THE RAIN
Apart from this, a project was launched by the administration with the help of the Rural Development department called ‘Catch the Rain’. Under this special project, 2,000 water recharge structures under MGNREGS are being constructed. Also, work on various other types of conservation structures is being carried out in water critical blocks that will help to conserve 26.3 crore litres of water.
These are but few of the initiatives being undertaken right now under Project Eeram Erode with the aim to conserve as much water as possible and make the district water sufficient.
