During the last 40 years as a result of deforestation amount of rainfall has come down, streams and rivers have dried up, even the underground water table is falling fast, which has caused anxiety among all of us and farmers in particular. But they could successfully combat the negative effects of deforestation for their survival. Erecting checkbunds, gully plugs, planting perennial grasses like Khus grass, Nappier, Agave, Lantana etc to check both water and soil erosion and help in gradual raise of underground water table. Wherever necessary they could build contour bunds and dig tunnels to check soil and water runoff. They can plant trees like Neem, Jack fruit, Mango, Jambul, Sapota, Casuarina, Cashew, Gliricidia, Drumstick, Susbania Grandiflora, Subabul etc., on these bunds to get the best of the benefits from the same area, like income from the yields like fruits, fuel, fodder and manure. They can very carefully breed animals like cattle, buffalo, goats, sheep, chicken, pigs etc so that they can utilise the grasses and green fodders from their own farm. Farm ponds dug at the lowest point of the farm even at 10 m X 10m X 3m size could hold much of the runoff water and the fertile top soil, and this water could be efficiently used for cattle, to grow some vegetables, fruit trees particularly on the 4 sides of the farm pond, to raise nurseries and use for spraying against pests and diseases of their crops. More than the above said benefits, if such farm ponds are dug and maintained on all the farms of the area, the dried up streams and rivers would get water through the recharged agrifiers, through the raise in seepage water from the farm ponds. This encourages the growth of grasses and trees which produce fodder, fuel and timber in a bigger area and quantity. Again this water through openly dug wells could be utilised for protective irrigation to save their crops. After about 5 or 6 years the whole area looks more greener and the farmers stop migrating to cities in search of jobs.
The local leadership should be given liberty to use the government aids and funds without much hindrance from the officials. The modalities have to be designed according to the local situations and needs, the some common design made at the capital. More and more indigenous tree species which could provide green fodder, manure, food, fuel and timber which could be shared among the whole population as per the decision taken by the grama sabhas than as per the decision taken by a handful elected members. Such checkbunds and gully plugs shall be carefully selected so as collect the maximum amount of runoff water and top soil. At least 35% of the work has to be contributed by the beneficiaries in the form of labour (shramadhan). Once the work is completed on these structure is over the local people take the responsibility of maintaining them by desilting occasionally and repairing them well before the start of monsoon.
Once the streams and rivers get water for more than 9 months the local people have to be permitted to breed fish rather than contracting to some outsiders by the Government, since the local people loose interest in maintaining the check dams and gully plugs.
Even some easy and cheaper structures for collecting roof water has to be evolved and popularised wherever possible so that many families could have water during the critical summer months.
Mr. L. Narayana Reddy
Srinivaspura
Via – Maralenahalli
Hanabe P.O.
Doddaballapura Taluk
Pin : 561 203
