The initiative created an additional water storage capacity of 198.6 thousand cubic meters, in a single filling.
Ahmednagar, Maharashtra: Apraava Energy, a diversified provider of low-carbon energy in India, has built and repaired 260 watershed structures in villages around Khandke as part of its water security initiative. The project in its sixth year is undertaken in partnership with the Watershed Organization Trust (WOTR). It has provided much-needed relief to the 15 drought-prone villages by increasing the availability and storage of water.
A baseline assessment conducted in 2016 showed that these regions record low rainfall and high waterrunoff. There was no proper irrigation or water storage facility which adversely impacted agriculture, livelihoods and quality of living.
The initiative created an additional water storage capacity of 198.6 thousand cubic meters, in a single filling. It has eliminated the requirement for water tankers in the last two years. The groundwater levels have increased as evidencedby the five years well inventory records collected on a monthly basis from 17 wells. As there has been a reduction in the drudgery of fetching water from far places, women in the area now have more quality time available for their development and meaningful work. Crop yields have increased due to a better soil ecosystem and the availability of water for irrigation.
Commenting on the success of the initiative, Abhay Potdar, Senior Vice-president – Renewables, Apraava Energy, said, “As a responsible company, we have been undertaking several initiatives in areas around our operations to ensure that the villages achieve water security and don’t suffer the effects of a drought. We have been investing in this intervention for the last six years and we are delighted with the results so far. The villages were missing out on one of the most fundamental enablers of development. Now the villagers can keep their water woes aside and focus on their overall development through social and economic opportunities. I’d like to express heartfelt gratitude to our partner WOTR along with the Gram Panchayats and the women SHG groups for their constant support for all these years and for implementing this project seamlessly.”
Apraava is working closely with all the stakeholders and has availed benefits of the government schemes to make the project financially, socially and environmentally sustainable. Apraava Energy and WOTR aim to complete the remaining parts of this project by March 2023.
