NUAPADA: Villagers of Gobindapur, located in Sinapali forest range in the Nuapada district, lived with water scarcity for several decades. This year, though, the scene is different. A pond, locally called Kahala, which was constructed recently has been filled with water owing to conservation measures initiated by the Forest and Water Resources departments.
Located near the Cherepani proposed reserve forest (PRF) under the Sinapali range, Gobindapur is a tribal-dominated village with around 20 households. Although a perennial source of water called Kamarjhola nullah passes through the village from the middle of Cherepani PRF, villagers could not utilise it as they lack the technical know-how. While the nullah went dry during the summer, the water ran off the surface during the monsoon as villagers could not harvest it in the absence of resources. Helpless, the people depended on water bodies in nearby villages which are 5 km away from Gobindapur.
With the village located in a forested area, local administrative officials and public representatives had little knowledge about the problem. A forester of the Sinapali range, Khageswar Majhi came to know about the problem last year when he had been to the village to douse a forest fire. He took up the matter with higher officials of the department who provided funds for the construction of loose boulder check dams (LBCD) along the path of the Kamarjholah nullah to conserve water.
Later, officials of the Water Resources Department visited the village and after their review, funds for the works were released from the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) fund. Work on the check dams started in February this year and five such structures were constructed from the upper end of the nullah to the lower end. As a result of these dams, water started getting collected. A pond was also dug up where water can be stored for round-the-year use.
The structure was barricaded with boulders and a path was made to ensure smooth flow of water. The work was completed in March. For the first time this summer, 6 ft water was collected in the pond. And with rainfall so far, the water level has gone up to 15 ft as the run-off water is now getting collected in the pond.
When Majhi provided them with the idea of LBCD to beat water scarcity, the villagers saw it as an opportunity for bringing about a change in the scenario. They decided to contribute in labour and took up construction of the check dams themselves and also carried out plantations around the structures for soil conservation. They are now protecting the plantations, said Majhi. He added that the villagers could not find a solution to the problem as they were not aware of using the water channel.
The department plans to further strengthen the infrastructure so that villagers do not face water scarcity anymore. Sarpanch of Gobindapur Khaturam Sunani said water scarcity is now a thing of the past for them. “We have abundant water for consumption and other uses. Surplus water is also being used for farming by many villagers now,” he said.