The total geographical area of the project is 2200 Hectares, with a total Catchment area of 10.5 aq km and a command area of 4046 hectares for the project.
Continental India initiated a large-scale sustainable water conservation project at Anekal Taluk, Bengaluru, as part of its ongoing integrated rural development programme. The water conservation projects include the construction of a mini reservoir, four check dams, and 500 water absorption trenches at the Pearl Valley catchment area in Anekal Taluk. The project envisages the conservation of about 30,000,000 liters of water per annum, and benefit 2200 hectares of land across eight villages. United Way of Bengaluru is the implementation partner for the project.
The ceremony was conducted by Prashanth Doreswamy, Head of Continental India, and Managing Director Continental Automotive India together with Lakshminarayana Swamy, Executive Officer of Anekal Taluk, President; Munirathna Anupamma Nagaraj, President of Gram Panchayat; Chaithra Babu, Vice President of Panchayat; and Avinash, Panchayat Development Officer (PDO).
Prashanth Doreswamy, Country Head – Continental India and Managing Director, Continental Automotive India, said, “We rolled out the integrated rural development programme at the Anekal Taluk in January 2020. Since then we have initiated many community-building activities. With this water conservation project, we aim to achieve water security, improved biodiversity, and with it, improved levels of carbon sequestration. The earliest benefits will be addressing the acute water scarcity of adjacent villages for both agricultural and domestic use. We hope to achieve our overall objectives over the next few years.”
The total geographical area of the project is 2200 Hectares, with a total Catchment area of 10.5 aq km and a command area of 4046 hectares for the project.
The check dam project has seven primary objectives:
- Regulation of water runoff and mitigation against flooding
- Optimal capture of rainwater and ensuring above surface storage
- Support flora and fauna to access water and help their safer habitat
- Mitigate human-animal conflict by making water available for animals within their safer habitat and avoid them from wandering off
- Ensure groundwater recharge in the valley
- Enhancement of natural, indigenous vegetation and biodiversity
- Positive impact on the eco-system in the pearl valley where the human, animal, vegetative life can thrive
In 2020, Continental began working with the gram panchayat of Anekal Taluk, Bengaluru Urban District, to implement sustainability initiatives in villages. With United Way of Bengaluru as the NGO partner, Continental has implemented several initiatives including soil and water conservation, sustainable agricultural practices, rooftop rainwater harvesting, women’s livelihood support, aligned towards the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The programme also focuses on interventions that will help in increasing livelihoods and household incomes by creating opportunities for entrepreneurship.
