Lake Rejuvenation Action under SWAGRAMA Project

It is most urgent that we collectively address the global environmental uncertainties and disasters at all levels to prevent the danger to all beings on the earth.  SARA ( Sustainable Alternatives for Rural Accord) and its associate organisations have been working on the ground to understand and implement the sustainable models to bridge the needs of the situation. SARA and its associates are simultaneously working at various levels, conducting environmental awareness campaigns, finding lasting solutions to the local environmental issues and also trying to bring people closer to share and address the problems as a community.

Working at the grassroots level with Sustainable models

This year we have launched an ambitious community development program ‘SWAGRAMA’, inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s dream project ‘Village Swaraj’ as a mark of 150th year of his birth. “Swagrama” project aims to achieve self-sustainable rural development in all aspect with the participation of the local village community.

As part of this project, four villages out of four panchayats are chosen to work as a pilot program. 1.Muttala(Chikka Jeni Grama Panchayat) 2. Majwana (Marutipura Grama Panchayat) 3. Baniga (Haridravati Grama Panchayat) 4. Nanjavalli (Haratalu Grama Panchayat)

Water Security as a first step to self Sustainable Ecology

As a result of much deliberation with the community members, we have identified crucial ten lakes to revive as a first step to secure the villages of their natural water resources. Most of these lakes are full of silt and have lost the capacity to recharge and irrigate the cultivable land. All these lakes are surrounded by forests and capable of providing water security for extensive bio-diversity, wild animals and thousands of acres of farmlands around. 

As a result of much deliberation with the community members, we have identified crucial ten lakes to revive as a first step to secure the villages of their natural water resources. Most of these lakes are full of silt and have lost the capacity to recharge and irrigate the cultivable land. All these lakes are surrounded by forests and capable of providing water security for extensive bio-diversity, wild animals and thousands of acres of farmlands around. 

Natural Water Resources Management and Advise form the Experts

Recently, Shri Shivananda Kalave, a renown Water Resource Person, who has had an experience of studying 3600 lakes across Karnataka, also visited all the chosen lakes and emphasised the importance of revival of these lakes. Mr Kalave has given his valuable suggestions to revive the lakes scientifically.

Lakes De-silting Strategies and costings

 We have got the estimation cost assessed by a skilled engineer of all the lakes. The costing calculated according to the employment of the machines to excavate and transport the silt away to the nearby agricultural land. The total cost of each lake is worked out to the hourly basis of the operating cost of machines and labour is roughly Rs. 2800/- per hour. Lake committees are formed among the lake beneficiaries. 

Rejuvenating the lakes in these villages will impact on the total ecology, forest, biodiversity, animals, mainly agriculture and local economy. Lakes are the lifeline of this region the Western Ghats. Borewell technology of the last forty years has discouraged the traditional knowledge of securing natural water resources. Borewells caused the overexploitation of water and did not succeed in water democracy. People have realised now that there is no alternative to the natural water resource like lakes and growing more forest.