Water Resource Development Archives

Wahegaon Turns ‘Water Secure’ Improving Livelihoods Of Marginal Farmers

Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad): Once ‘water stressed’ like its neighbouring villages in the Marathwada region, Wahegaon village in Paithan block of Aurangabad district is now a striking example of transformation from water stressed to a water secure village. It showcases the outcomes of scientific and systematic participatory approach for natural resources management by the communities & corporates like PepsiCo India, which has established a sustainable model by harvesting rainwater for agriculture needs.

In the year 2009, PepsiCo India along with Alternative Development Initiatives (ADI) engaged with the Wahegaon community to understand local water woes and did an in-depth assessment of land and water resources to design necessary interventions. At the start of the program, only 100 hectares from a total of 900 hectares of agricultural land was supported by irrigation. Rest was rain-fed and largely supported by one seasonal crop for a community whose mainstay was agriculture. Due to low agriculture income owing to poor availability of groundwater, some of the families either were moving out for a day employment or dependent on industrial employment around.

As a part of PepsiCo’s Sustainable Water Resource Development and Management (SWRDM) program, 13 check dams across three nallahs (drains) and 100 artificial open well recharge structures were constructed which are spread across the geographic area of village. These check dams were built to hold water at key locations and contribute to the ground water in the rainy season. The well recharge structures were constructed to arrest the surface run off from a small catchment and eventually recharging the wells and improving groundwater levels around.

As a result, water levels have improved, along with groundwater availability and micro-irrigation practices have ensured that adequate irrigation water supply was available beyond the June – September rainfall cycle enabling multiple cropping cycles. Crop diversity in the village covers sweet lime, pomegranate, cotton, coriander, onions, sugar cane, maize and flowers in some cases. Even during the last few years of less rainfall and near-drought conditions, the farmers were able to maintain three crop cycles and sustain horticulture trees in the form of Sweet lime.

Pepsi Concerned Over Groundwater Decrease In Pudussery. The Company Begins Water Conservation Projects

Pepsi company is concerned about groundwater decreasing in Pudussery panchayath including Kanjikode industrial area. Pepsi says that reduced monsoons last year that significantly affected surface water bodies and groundwater levels in the area.
Considering this situation, Pepsico India started water conservation projects at Pudussery Panchayath.

The project is implemented as part of SWRDM (Sustainable Water Resource Development & Management) program. PepsiCo India and its partner Alternative Development Initiatives (ADI) handed over the project to local communities. The project was inaugurated by Panchayat president K. Unnikrishnan at a function held at Panangad Pandiyeth Yeri in Pudussery. Pepsi in its statement said that the projects have the potential to benefit more than 100 families across two villages.
As a part of water conservation projects, the two ponds in Panangad and East Atapallam villages have been restored. The Pandiyathu Yerri pond has a water storage capacity of 12412 cubic meters and the Samy Yerri pond has a water storage capacity of 10478 cubic meters.

3 check dams in this area were repaired and steel gates were put. Cleaning up of catchment area was also done.
Panchayath president K.Unnikrishnan said that this water conservation project will be beneficial to the areas that include 3 and 11 wards of the Panchayath.

The detailed baseline assessment is done.

“We did a detailed baseline assessment of the area, mapping the existing water resources & assessed potential for rejuvenation of the water structures to ensure availability & access to water for communities “, Quote by R S Nijjar, Executive Director, ADI

Water Recharge Project Handover to Four Village Community

PepsiCo India, along with its partner Alternative Development Initiatives (ADI) – a Development Support Organisation, today handed over a partnership project on ‘Water Replenishment ‘ to four Panchayats (Panwan, Masani, Phumanwal and Bhaktari) in Bhawanigarh Block of Sangrur district, Punjab. The SWRDM program has recharge potential of 100 million liters and is expected to benefit a total agricultural area of more than 350 acres, positively impacting 150 farmers and over 5,000 villagers in the long term.

The PepsiCo SWRDM program in the Bhawanigarh Block includes water replenishment through creation of a newly created rainwater harvesting pond in Panwan besides three rejuvenated rainwater harvesting ponds in Masani, Phumanwal, and Bhaktari

Inauguration of Water Recharge Project Inaugurated by DC

PepsiCo India and Alternative Development Initiatives (ADI) handover water recharge projects to local community leaders Project inaugurated by Shri Mr. Vijay Inder Singla- MLA, Bhawanigarh, Dist. Sangrur & Shri APS Virk, Deputy Commissioner, Sangrur As part of its Sustainable Water Resource Development & Management (SWRDM) program, PepsiCo India, along with its partner Alternative Development Initiatives (ADI) – a Development Support Organisation, today handed over a partnership project on ‘Water Replenishment ‘ to four Panchayats (Panwan, Masani, Phumanwal and Bhaktari) in Bhawanigarh Block of Sangrur district, Punjab.

The SWRDM program has recharge potential of 100 million liters and is expected to benefit a total agricultural area of more than 350 acres, positively impacting 150 farmers and over 5,000 villagers in the long term.

Rain Water Recharge Project Inaugurated

As part of its Sustainable Water Resource Development & Management (SWRDM) program, PepsiCo India, along with its partner Alternative Development Initiatives (ADI) – a Development Support Organisation, today handed over a partnership project on ‘Water Replenishment ‘ to four Panchayats (Panwan, Masani, Phumanwal and Bhaktari) in Bhawanigarh Block of Sangrur district, Punjab. The SWRDM program has recharge potential of 100 million liters and is expected to benefit a total agricultural area of more than 350 acres, positively impacting 150 farmers and over 5,000 villagers in the long term.

The newly constructed water harvesting structure in Panwan village in Bhawanigarh Block was inaugurated by Shri Mr. Vijay Inder Singla- MLA, Sangrur, and APS Virk, Deputy Commissioner, Sangrur in the presence of other dignitaries including Smt. Neelima Dwivedi-Vice President Corporate Affairs, PepsiCo India. The PepsiCo SWRDM program in the Bhawanigarh Block includes water replenishment through the creation of a newly created rainwater harvesting pond in Panwan besides three rejuvenated rainwater harvesting ponds in Masani, Phumanwal, and Bhaktari. Speaking on the occasion Mr. Harpreet Bhatia, Associate Director-Manufacturing, PepsiCo India, said, “As a part of its Performance with Purpose goal, PepsiCo is committed to working with local communities it directly operates in, to improve livelihoods and incomes in a sustainable manner.

Today’s project extends our community efforts to villages around our Channo plant to support their livelihood efforts. As a first step, the project will provide access to water for farmers and will be followed by multiple capacity building training programs on better agricultural practices, water conservation & livelihood enhancement for farmers and local women self-help groups

Two Ponds Renovated in Pudussery

Palakkad: The ponds at Panangad and East Attapallam which comes under Pudussery grama panchayath were renovated. The Pandiyathu Yerri pond has a water storage capacity of 12412 cubic meters and the Samy Yerri pond has a water storage capacity of 10478 cubic meters. Both these ponds will collectively support agricultural activities covering an area of about 160 hectares.

PepsiCo India, as part of its SWRDM (Sustainable Water Resource Development & Management) program and its partner Alternative Development Initiatives (ADI), implemented the project. The works done include Bund strengthening, cleaning up of the catchment area, construction of recharge pit and repair of the canals. Woden gates that were in a dilapidated condition were replaced with steel sluice gates. The project which will help around 200 families was inaugurated by Pudussery Panchayath president K. Unnikrishnan. K. Paramasivam and R.S. Nijjar spoke at the function.