The death of community ponds

The traditional community ponds of Rajasthan have numerous stories to tell – of valorous kings, feisty queens, court intrigues, love and deceit. A long time ago, these water bodies served as the hub of Rajputana’s culture, politics and civil society. On their shorelines have the minstrels written some of those soulful ballads that are sung even today.

But as the era of kings and warriors passed by, these historic water bodies fell into neglect and decay. The villagers did not have the means to preserve these water bodies, which are still of great value in the desert state.

Diminished water catchment prospects

What followed were years of silting and illegal land encroachments that diminished the ‘water catchment’ or storage prospects of these ponds. Even in years of above-average rainfall, villages in Rajasthan began experiencing acute water shortages at the start of summer. Villagers had to survive on salty water with high fluoride levels.

High rates of groundwater extraction only exacerbated the situation. Masuda and Bhinai in Ajmer district were among the worst-affected regions. These regions faced severe water shortages despite receiving adequate rainfall every year.

“We had no water here two years ago; not even for our livestock. Life was very difficult,” says Suva Devi, a resident of Kumhariya village, Bhinai.

Project Pani

Swaraj Tractors, a division of Mahindra & Mahindra, started its "Project Pani" initiative in response to the appalling living conditions of the surrounding communities. ‘Project Pani’ – launched in 2020, in association with Sarv Mangal Gramin Vikas Sansthan, an NGO - intends to address the critical water needs of communities by renovating and conserving traditional mud ponds.

The project included widening feeder canals, desilting and deepening ponds, erecting bund walls, installing sluice gates, digging smaller ponds, and building bathing ghats. The pond renovation project alone has doubled the ‘water holding capacity’, leading to the creation of 36 lakh cubic metres (CUM) ‘water potential.’

Over the past two years, ‘Project Pani’ has renovated nearly a dozen traditional ponds (in Masuda and Bhinai), recharged over 75 old wells, and increased the water table in 245-odd open wells in water catchment zones.

“Project Pani has bettered our lives… Now we have enough water for our needs,” says Suva Devi.

The social impact

In terms of social impact, ‘Project Pani’ has put out a stellar report card. The irrigation needs of ten villages have been met by the renovation of just ten ponds. The project has increased farming acreage to over 3,350 hectares. It has ensured the yearlong availability of drinking water to over 15,000 people and 16,000 livestock. Sixty ‘women’s water groups’ have been formed to address issues such as water-use and governance.

Climate-smart initiatives such as planting of fruit-bearing trees have also been taken up along the pond bunds and adjoining farmlands.

“Swaraj Tractors renovated our pond last year… Now we have enough water to irrigate 800 – 1,000 bighas of agricultural land; about 200 families take baths in the pond bathing ghats and 500 livestock drink from it,” says Raghunath Gurjar, a resident of Surajpura in Bhinai tehsil.

Rise for ‘water for all’

Beyond Rajasthan, Swaraj Tractors has expanded ‘Project Pani’ to water-stressed regions of Punjab as well. Aside from restoration work, the project places a strong emphasis on raising awareness about the maintenance and governance of community ponds.

As the saying goes: Water is the driving force of all nature. At Swaraj Tractors, we believe that providing clean water to all is the first step towards achieving a more equal world. Therefore, Rise for ‘water for all’!