Thaddesa Mithram

Lift Irrigation

Chenkal Grama Panchayat

Thiruvananthapuram District

Water scarcity is definitely an issue we are dealing with today. It has farther-reaching implications in the future. Scarcity of water will lead to environmental and social consequences.

In this context Chenkal Gramapanchayat in Trivandrum District implemented a project to overcome this issue. The Gramapanchayat is mainly depending on agriculture. The agricultural production in the panchayat was identified as vulnerable, mainly due to the reduction of water availability for irrigation in summer season. It affected the overall quality of life of the people. People in that area mainly depended on Valiyakulam Pond for their day to day needs. It increased the domestic workload of women, weakened health and hygiene of people and agricultural productivity which led to financial crisis.  As a temporary arrangement, the Gramapanchayat arranged a tanker lorry to collect water from the pond and distributed it to the different areas of the panchayat.

In this circumstance, the demand for water was very much addressed in the Grama Sabha. As lift irrigation increases the groundwater recharge and raises the level of the water table, the people proposed a Lift Irrigation Project in the 12^th ward of the Panchayat. When the Panchayat President accepted this demand, then it moved through the official process of getting the approval of the Panchayat committee. Panchayat Committee approved it unanimously. After that the process of Project formulation and DPC approval were happened without any delay.

With the help of the LSGD Engineering Wing of the Gramapanchayat, they formulated the Lift Irrigation Project at Venchakkulam in the Financial Year 2012-13. The total cost of the project is Rs.10,00,000 of which the Performance Grant is Rs.7,50,000.

Using this fund they constructed a check dam and related facilities. About 300 families are benefited from this project. Traditional farmers and others depending on it for their agricultural productivity.

One of the direct benefits of this lift irrigation project is the increase in agricultural productivity. Provision of timely and adequate supply of irrigation in that area ensures soil moisture over a long period of time and facilitates planned and intensive cultivation. It has a positive impact on intensity of crop, production, employment and additional net revenue. It improved the livelihood of small-scale farmer households through the sale of agricultural related products. Petty shops are opened in different parts of the Panchayat for the sale of their products.

Over 300 workers under NREGS are there in that area. They are also the stakeholders of this project. After the implementation of this project, local people seek their support for implementing terrace garden and household farming due to the availability of water. Through this they are getting fresh vegetables from their own effort. It has an impact on the health status of the people. The periodical cleaning of the irrigation canal is done by the NREGS workers.

Through this project ground water table increases and about 100 wells are getting recharged. This improved the hygiene and sanitation practices of people.

The maintenance and operation of the lift irrigation at Venchakkulam is own up by a group of beneficiaries. The ward member plays a key role in attaining the vision of the project by utilizing the benefit of lift irrigation efficiently.