WATER MANAGEMENT & CONSERVATION:

After conducting extensive research on the water situation in 16 villages in Ranga Reddy District, M.V.Foundation has implemented the Water Management & Conservation programme. MVF has enabled the linkage between the Government and villages and also with other institutions/departments etc.

Training and capacity building on water shed development are carried out. Based on the village drainage map, water harvesting structures like bunding, contour bunding, check dams etc were planned. Water bodies conserved and maintained through de-silting, strengthening the embankment and trees planted along the embankment. The maintenance of the structures built for water management and conservation is by the villagers themselves thus creating sustainable livelihoods & prevention of land encroachments. The Fishing communities have revived their livelihoods by Fish Farming. The Washermen community has also revived and have regular incomes now.

Water conservation strategies, community sharing of water in agriculture through drip irrigation and recharging water bodies promoted and taught.

A rain water gauge set up in Shamirpet has recorded significant increase in rainfall over the same period. Most of the water available in the project area had high fluoride content until a decade ago but it has softened over the last half decade due to the activities of the communities. Improvement in the quality of drinking water has led to reduced incidence of waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea, fluorosis, dental problems and bone disorders. The organisation has envisaged a long term water management strategy with a wide range of activities such as awareness in global warming, climate change, water budgeting and making use of occasions such as the International Water Day to advocate the concept of water conservation and management. NET Planning and NRM Planning have been taken up in some villages to prepare communities to ensure natural resource management.

Achievements:

• Check dams – 136
• Gully Checks – 972
• Percolation Tanks – 77
• Sunken Pits – 1035
• Soil Moisture Conservation works in AC - 8367