An earthen dam developed at Nalagarh as a perennial source of irrigation under the Kandi Project has brought about a discernible change in the lives of people, especially women, residing in small hamlet near there. Women whose role was earlier confined to domestic chores today confidently sit with men folk and discuss village problems.
 

Way to Success

 
It all started when this area comprising four villages of Nanowal, Kheri, Nahar Singh and Mandiarpur-located on the left of the Sirsa river-was adopted by the Integrated Watershed Development Project in 1999. Initially people had doubts about the whole idea, apprehending it as an attempt by officials to grab their revenue land used for grazing of animals. It took officials a series of meetings where the purpose and plan of the project were discussed. Then followed whole-hearted devotion from people.

The region earlier suffered the fury of seasonal rivulets commonly called the choes, which caused widespread damage by inundating large chunks of arable land. It was predominantly a degraded scrub area where soil retained less moisture and sustained scarce vegetation. The area comprised disintegrated pockets, which were completely cut off from the rest of the region during the monsoon. Emphasis was laid on the participation of people in planning and implementation of development activities. Being rain-fed lift-irrigation schemes irrigated only half of the 500 bighas of arable land.

Various water bodies were examined by officials to harness and canalize water. In addition to this gullies were plugged by constructing a number of structures along the water line. Finally, a site was selected for the construction of an earthen dam at Mandiarpur village. Within a short span of four months, a nine-meter-high dam was built with the cooperation of villagers under technical guidance from the project officials.

This dam helped to collect and retain rainwater flowing from the catchment area that has provided perennial source of irrigation to 28 families irrigating 225 bighas of land. The village community bore 25 percent of the cost of building the dam either in form of cash or labour (shram Dan). Those families who are also responsible for the upkeep of the dam have been organized into a user group who charge a fee of Rs. 20 from those using this water for irrigation.
 

Its Returns