In
the line of water
WOTR
supports village communities in eradicating their poverty by regenerating
their environment through the construction of efficient watershed
lines. TAJ presents a success story
Participatory
watershed development, not only leads to an improvement in the economic
condition of the people, but also creates an environment which induces
people into becoming an industrious, innovative community. This is
the prime objective behind the Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR).
The official capacity building organisation of the Indo-German Watershed
Development Programme (IGWDP), WOTR provides training support to the
government, NGOs and public institutions from all over the country
in the field of participatory watershed development. One such project
has been successfully implemented by WOTR in Wanjulshet in association
with the local Jai Bajarang Panlot Kshetra Vikas Samiti, the Central
and state Government, Nabard and the Government of Germany.
Demographic
details
Wanjulshet
is a remote village located in the Sahyadri ranges of the Akole taluka
of the Ahmednagar district in Maharashtra. It is home to 132 households
with a total population of 784. Approximately 531.37 hectares of the
watershed is hilly terrain, out of which 277.17 hectares is arable
land and 254.2 hectares is uncultivable wasteland. Before the project
was initiated, there were 31 wells in the watershed, of which 18 were
seasonally functional at the time of the initiation of the project.
The average water table in summer was about 0.40 m, and in winter
it was
2.10 m.
Despite
relatively high rainfall there was a scarcity of water in the area
during the summer months. Steep slopes, tree felling and bush clearing
had resulted in a tremendous rainwater runoff causing severe soil
erosion. As a result there was an acute shortage of fodder and agriculture
was unprofitable as only one crop was possible in a year. This led
to a large-scale migration of the local community each year in search
of work and livelihood. Harsh conditions left individual households
to fend for themselves. The people did not see their situation as
a common problem that could be overcome if they collectively searched
for a solution. Also, because of their remoteness and general backwardness,
they were unable to approach the external agencies for
assistance.
The
initiative
Implementation
of the watershed project was started in 1996 and was completed in
June 2002. The people approached WOTR in 1995. In 1996 an intensive
Capacity Building Phase (funded by the German Agency for Technical
Cooperation-GTZ) under the Indo-German Watershed Development Programme
(IGWDP) was launched by the WOTR in order to organise, train and build
up the capacities of the people. This being successfully completed,
the project moved into the Full Implementation Phase of the IGWDP
in April 1998, funded by the KfW (German Bank for Development) through
Nabard.
At
the field level, the project was (and is still) managed by the village
watershed committee (VWC) – the Jai Bajarang Panlot Kshetra Vikas
Samiti. Besides, other local level institutions like the women’s self-help
groups and Samyukt Mahila Samiti (Pragati Samyukta Mahila Samiti)
were also set up at the village level.
Costs
and local contribution
The
cost of the watershed treatment (physical measures excluding supervision)
was Rs 6531.00 per hectare. The people contributed an amount of Rs
4,85,627.53 or 16.22 per cent of the unskilled labour costs by way
of local contribution. Fifty per cent of the people’s contribution
was returned to create a maintenance fund for undertaking repairs
on the watershed treatments. Besides this, the community also contributes
yearly towards the maintenance fund. The total amount in the maintenance
fund as on June 30, 2003 was to the tune of Rs 4,11,805.90.
contd...
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