Gujarat

Sustainable exploration, development and management of groundwater requires a specialized human resource base. However, there is a dearth of specialisation in this field. In this project, ACT created an internship to train people from local communities to understand geohydrology better and plan water management based on that. This programme helped them formulate strategies for management of groundwater on the basis of mapping and identification of aquifers with practical training in Mundra Taluka.

The project aimed at mainstreaming groundwater concerns in Bhuj and integrating decentralized and community based groundwater management into the town’s planning and development. The interventions involved both social processes and technical processes. On the social front a cadre of para professionals and community representatives having knowledge on urban watershed and groundwater management was created and citizens’ action group was created to enable their participation.

In the wake the COVID-19 Pandemic, Samerth Charitable Trust is working to provide relief and rehabilitation in the Khadir Region of Kutch, an island sharing a border with Pakistan and comprising 14 villages with semi-arid areas in the north-west corner of the island and covered by the greater rann of Kutch. The people living in these villages belong to Koli, Parkara Koli, Muslims, Ahir Koli and Bharwad communities.

Arghyam has been  a long-term knowledge partner of the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation to strengthen the Atal Bhujal Yojana - scheme launched by the prime minister Narendra Modi in April 2020 to improve ground water management that includes community sensitization and followed by systematic supply side and demand side interventions.