PUNE: Dahiwadi, the taluka office of Maan taluka of Satara district, has a population of 22,000. Located in the rainshadow area, water is a scarce commodity here. The small town is dependent on water tankers to quench its thirst. To add to the woes, a hefty power bill on account of lifting water from a place seven kilometres away has been a big financial burden on the residents.
To end this scenario, NGO Art of Living (AOL) stepped in. It demonstrated how rural communities can bring about a positive change in their lives if they join hands.
Today, Maanganga river in Dahiwadi has been successfully rejuvenated. This has not only solved the town’s drinking water problem but has also recharged all water sources along its banks, including farm wells.
Dahiwadi is among the 80 villages in Maan taluka, where AOL has been actively working to alleviate the water crisis by increasing the water table, building structures to increase water holding capacity and bringing the village communities together for the cause of harmonious development.
The villagers started building a cement bund across the river in April 2015 and completed the work in July 2015 with the help of NGOs such as Sakal Relief Fund, Paani Foundation and some help from the government.
Heavy rains in the last month of monsoon this year filled the bund with abundant water, around 25 crore litres.
The villagers in and around its vicinity recently celebrated their achievement by inviting AOL Founder and spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who dedicated the water reservoir to the people.
Addressing the gathering, Ravi Shankar said, “No great work can be completed unless we all come together.”
“The government alone cannot do everything,” he said, and added, “We can take the help of the government. We should also do what we can, then only an important work like this can be accomplished. You have all together made this possible.”
Ravi Shankar emphasised on the need to keep the river clean and making sure dirty water from drains does not mix with the river water.
Narrating how the idea of building the bund took shape, project coordinator Abhay Todkar said, “When local AOL teacher Jayaprakash Jadhav floated the idea of building the bund to solve the water problem, villagers were reluctant to join. However, as Bedmutha Saheb (Amravati Deputy Divisional Commissioner Suresh Bedmutha) conducted a Divya Samaja ka Nirman (DSN) course, they got motivated to participate. Women not only collected donations, but they also chipped in by working on the bund site. We collected around Rs 34 lakh needed for constructing the bund.”
“We will plant more trees and grow grass on its banks so that the river’s capacity to retain water can be increased. Dr Madhav Pol has been guiding us on taking up such social projects in our area,” said Todkar.
Speaking about how the transformation came about, Bedmutha, who is also an AOL teacher, said, “Dahiwadi town has not been growing due to water shortage throughout the year. I conducted a DSN course with the villagers. After the course, they got so charged up that they resolved to build the bund for a permanent solution to water shortages they faced. Despite various difficulties right from its planning to execution, they succeeded as their resolve was very strong.”
He said the bund’s design is unique and has been made by COEP Professor Bhalchandra Birajdar. The State government issued a GR and has asked other such places to replicate its design elsewhere as it is very robust and cost-effective.
Speaking about the contribution made by College of Engineering Pune (COEP) to the project, Birajdar said, “AOL volunteers came to us as the irrigation department had expressed its inability to build a bund on the river in Dahiwadi. We made a special design for this project for free as it was social work. We got the design approved from the district collectorate and started the work.”