TIRUPUR: Despite Tamil Nadu’s history of periodic drought and deficit monsoon, little has been learnt from the shortcomings. But not in Kangeyam. Here, people woke up to the reality of the drought three years ago and one man’s effort has now ensured that an entire village does not have to rely on borewells anymore.
Thanks to the 4.3-acre pond that is turning out to be the best example of rainwater harvesting done right. Developed by one Karthikeya Sivasenapathy — Senaapathy Kangayam Cattle Research Foundation’s Managing Trustee — three years ago, this pond has not only supplied for the man’s land and animals but also augmented the entire village’s groundwater table.
Karthikeya’s project in Muttur was the product of a time of drought. Recalling the period, he says that Kangeyam witnessed severe drought in 2015. There was no water left for agriculture or cattle. Farmers (who could afford it) were forced to buying water tanks (3,000 litres) and bringing them in on tractors till the early months of 2016. This did not turn out to be a sustainable venture, given that the price of water increased from Rs 600 per tank in January 2016 to Rs 1,200 in June. Then, farmers were left with one of two options -- stop farming or move out of the village, he explains.
It was then that Karthikeya decided to find other means of survival. Though rain seemed a part of the distant future, he set out to prepare for it so as not to waste even a single drop when the time comes. This would prove to be vital given that Kangeyam experiences drought-like conditions at least once in three years. Voila! a rainwater harvesting pond.
“Rainwater harvesting is the easiest and most economical way to deal with such a crisis. I got a loan for Rs 18 lakhs from a private bank for a duration of seven years (term loan). With that fund, the rainwater harvesting pond was created in an area of around 4.3 acres in August 2016,” he says. And just in time. For the village was blessed with abundant rain in October of 2016; enough to fill the pond.