KOPPAL: Schools in Koppal are flush with water and greenery, despite the harsh summer, thanks to Sikandar Meeranayak, a borewell recharge expert who has brought water to more than 30 dry borewells in schools in the past one-and-half years.
Sikandar, who has an NGO, Sankalpa Rural Development Society, was in Koppal to help some farmers recharge their borewells, when he got information that many schools in the district have no drinking water and some schools have borewells, but they have dried up. He contacted a microfinance company and collected money through CSR initiative, and set about recharging borewells in Koppal’s schools. All for free.
Koppal district is a dry area and many schools in this region tried to get government help to repair borewells, but in vain. School authorities stopped asking for help as borewells dried up. Falling underground water level led to borewells drying up. Farmers tried to bring tankers to save their crops in 2022 and 2023, but many others lost their harvest.
Around 2022-end, Sikandar came to know about this and contacted Fincare Small Finance Bank in Koppal and spoke about the condition of schools. The management agreed and this joint venture helped more than 10,000 students. With drought conditions in Koppal, schoolteachers and students remember these two organisations and count themselves as blessed.
There is much curiosity over how Sikander recharges dry borewells, and many people have met him to find out. He uses the ‘twin ring method’ to collect rainwater for the dry season.
“When I visited Koppal, I came to know about the dry borewells. I visited some schools and made a list. The recharged borewells are all functioning now. Teachers, school managements and students are happy. It is a small service from our side and we are thankful to Fincare management for their sponsorship, and for standing by us to get work done,” said Sikandar.
‘Brought hope to farmers’
Sharanu Kadiwal, a schoolteacher from Koppal said, “Thanks to the collaboration between Sankalpa Society (SRDS) and Fincare Bank, a transformative initiative began. Their combined efforts successfully recharged over 30 borewells in schools, and 10 borewells belonging to struggling farmers. This endeavour not only addressed immediate water concerns but also instilled hope in farmers and schoolchildren. Once recharged with rainwater, these borewells will remain a sustainable water source.”
The students are happy too. As Savita Hiremath, a student, said, “We are happy the borewell at our school was recharged, or we would have to walk for a mile to get a bottle of water. Koppal is a hot place and this time, the temperature touched 41 deg Celsius. Rocky hills surround this place, hence there is more heat. We all thank Sankalpa and Sikandar for thinking about us.”
Andanappa Sunkad, a farmer from Koppal, said, “Our borewells had dried up due to drought last year. But Meeranayak and others came in time and did a good job. All the borewells are now working. We are thankful to them for finding funds, and were told that all cost and expenditure was taken care of.”
What is Twin Ring Method?
A pond measuring 20ft x 15ft x 8ft is constructed near the borewell to collect monsoon runoff. Using an earthmover, a 6ft x 4ft x 8ft pit around the borewell casing is lined with filtration material. Slits are cut into the casing, wrapped with nylon mesh, and surrounded by two sets of 6ft x 3ft cement rings. The first set, filled with 20mm stones, forms a ‘false well’, while the second one, left empty, is sealed and covered. A 3-inch feeder pipe from the pond connects to the first cement ring of the empty well. During the rainy season, water from the pond percolates through the first well, entering the aquifer through casing slits for dry season storage.