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The
project location
Located
barely 100 km from Jaipur, Tilonia,
once a water deficient area now has a
perennial water source. It represents an
excellent example of public participating in
water resource management.
This watershed project covers a
watershed area of 82,349
sq km
with
110 villages and 100,000 inhabitants.
The
area receives a low erratic rainfall with an
average rainfall of 360 mm per year followed
by recurrent droughts.
Due to this there used to be a heavy
problem of soil erosion resulting in a
reduction of fertile cultivable land.
There was tremendous pressure on
ground water resources for various uses
leading to continuous depletion of water
table in aquifers.
Due to scarcity of fodder &
overstocking of animals overgrazing was done
on a large scale.
All these factors contribute to
seasonal migration of human and livestock
populations from this area.
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Initially
wasteland reclamation was done through
gully stopping and other soil and water
conservation measures including growing
of tree & development of pastures.
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Shelterbelts
were constructed to prevent wind and
water erosion.
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Different
water harvesting techniques were used to
store and conserve water for its
subsequent efficient use.
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Generation
of employment through training and
upgrading skills.
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Establishment
of solar electrification in schools and
remote villages.
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Establish
pre-primary and night schools in
villages.
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Establishment
of a women’s group for awareness on
rights.
· Provision
of quality water for human and livestock -
1,317 hand pumps, 184 underground storage
tanks, piped water in six districts,
deepening of 175 ponds.
· Effective
training, installation and use of solar
energy units for night schools and for
lighting homes.
· Promotion
of literacy - establishment of 83 night
schools and 48 day schools.
· Establishment
of Village Education Committees.
· Over
3,000 school children exposed to
environmental awareness through the school
curriculum.
· Poverty
alleviation - job creation for close to
7,000 people including youth, women,
technicians and artisans.
· Provision
of new markets for rural women and artisans.
· Income
generated from sales of fodder and fuel wood
from reclaimed wastelands.
· The
project has made notable holistic
achievements in human resource development
involving all age groups, and social sectors
of the community.
· Use
of rain water for irrigation, the recharging
of ground water has had positive impacts in
desalinization and environment protection.
· The
project’s water, solar, lighting and night
school programmes replicated at National
Government level.
· Women’s
Pressure and Lobbying Group succesfully
fought for minimum wage rise (0.2 to 0.8US$)
for all work without gender discrimination.
Source
: WWW.unep.org, Success Stories: Asia
Pacific
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