KOCHI: At a time when groundwater table is fast depleting coupled with erratic monsoon, it is the efforts of residents’ associations which lead the way in water conservation in many parts of the state. In Thuruthikkara, the first green village of the state, it is the committed efforts of residents’ association for water conservation which positively impacted the village’s water availability and quality.
Well recharging, initiated as part of ‘ente gramam swasraya gramam’ initiative, could be successfully implemented in the village as people were aware of the significance of water conservation and cooperated with it.
“The association has already installed rainwater harvesting units in 86 houses in the area . Water level in all open wells registered significant increase after inst-allation of the recharging unit. Those families with no open wells ado-pted the rainwater harvesting pits to recharge groundwater,” said M.K. Satheesan, secretary of Thuruthikkara South West Residents’ Association.
The association has formed a six-member team to coordinate the well recharging initiative. “The team is ready to provide technical assistance to people in other parts of the district who want to set up rainwater harvesting units. We are happy to spread the technical knowhow so that the entire society is benefited,” added the association secretary.
The association has won awards and appreciations for its achievements in serving the residents at the micro level. It has been selected as the best residents association in the state in a contest themed on ‘water security’ organised by a media house. And using the cash award, the association did recharging of two big wells of Ayurveda dispensary and anganwadi in the area. The Haritha Keralam Mission has also appreciated their efforts.
