Not sure how we were able to cram all of the tee shirts, the Team shirts, the work gloves, the name badges and the 300 (yes, count them) 300 nylon book bags, so generously donated by Embrace Home Loans, for us to present to the children of the KOSHISH project in Delhi.
Many have asked what we will be doing, so allow me to "copy and paste" the proposal drafted by my little brother, Sanjiv Saran, or the Rotary Club of Delhi - Megapolis, for the DOUBLE DAM PROJECT in the PUNJAB.
Rotary Global Grant # Rotary Global Grant GG1746981
Project Proposal: Anandpur Sahib Wala Dams: commencing Feb, 2017
This is a community- led participatory Water Harvesting Initiative promoting rural development in a remote area of Roopnagar district in the Indian state of Punjab.
The host club Rotary Club of Delhi Megapolis, RID 3011 and the International partner RC Sanford Springvale RID 7780 is coordinating the project in collaboration with ROTARY INDIA WATER CONSERVATION TRUST - President: PRID Rtn Sushil Gupta and PHD Rural Development Foundation - a division of PHD Chamber of Commerce, New Delhi (PHD-RDF). Over the last seven years, this partnership has already executed 6 check dams and 1 water reservoir in Rajasthan and Haryana to support 5 to 20 villages each with populations of about a thousand persons per village.
BACKGROUND
The state of Punjab is located in the Northern part of India. It is primarily an agrarian state with maximum contribution from agriculture sector. The state has been witnessing sever water scarcity in the last few years. Punjab, also known as the land of five rivers, is staring at a dark future on the water front; the ground water level is fast depleting. Bore wells yield water at 300 to 400 feet, where earlier the ground water levels used to be 70—100 feet. Every year, the level goes down by 10 feet. The situation is very alarming1, as it is directly affecting the people in the state, who are mainly dependent on agriculture and its allied activities.
Rupnagar district is located in the eastern part of the Punjab State. Agriculture is also the main source of the economy here. Depleting groundwater has led to an increasing demand for water to meet the agricultural and household needs. The traditional ponds system of Punjab, including the ones in Rupnagar district, are now lying in ruins. There is a need to harvest the rain water and increase the underground water levels.
PROPOSED LOCATION
State: Punjab
District: Rupnagar District
Tehsil: Anandpur Sahib
Village: Jhajjhar
Population: 1500
Total Households: 180
NEED FOR CHECK DAMS IN ANANDPUR SAHIB, RUPNAGAR DISTRICT, PUNJAB
Increase in demand from the agriculture sector is directly proportional to the exploitation of the ground water in the agrarian belts of Punjab. There is an increasing concern over the declining water table in this area, therefore the Central Ground Water Board has recommended reducing area under paddy by more than 10 lakh hectares to achieve sustainable growth. Rupnagar is one of the worst affected districts2in Punjab. The stage of groundwater development3 in Anandpur Sahib is 93%4, which means it is critical and needs to be addressed at the earliest. The Central Ground Water Board has recommended development of the Groundwater resource in Anandpur Sahib and Ropar blocks to ensure that the groundwater table is maintained.
2 http://agrariancrisis.in/2012/02/25/punjab-declining-water-table-reduce-area-under-paddy-water-board-tells-govt/
3 "Ratio of Annual Ground Water Draft and Net Annual Ground Water Availability in percentage."
4 http://cgwb.gov.in/documents/papers/incidpapers/paper%2011-%20sushil%20gupta.pdf
Many have asked what we will be doing, so allow me to "copy and paste" the proposal drafted by my little brother, Sanjiv Saran, or the Rotary Club of Delhi - Megapolis, for the DOUBLE DAM PROJECT in the PUNJAB.
Rotary Global Grant # Rotary Global Grant GG1746981
Project Proposal: Anandpur Sahib Wala Dams: commencing Feb, 2017
This is a community- led participatory Water Harvesting Initiative promoting rural development in a remote area of Roopnagar district in the Indian state of Punjab.
The host club Rotary Club of Delhi Megapolis, RID 3011 and the International partner RC Sanford Springvale RID 7780 is coordinating the project in collaboration with ROTARY INDIA WATER CONSERVATION TRUST - President: PRID Rtn Sushil Gupta and PHD Rural Development Foundation - a division of PHD Chamber of Commerce, New Delhi (PHD-RDF). Over the last seven years, this partnership has already executed 6 check dams and 1 water reservoir in Rajasthan and Haryana to support 5 to 20 villages each with populations of about a thousand persons per village.
BACKGROUND
The state of Punjab is located in the Northern part of India. It is primarily an agrarian state with maximum contribution from agriculture sector. The state has been witnessing sever water scarcity in the last few years. Punjab, also known as the land of five rivers, is staring at a dark future on the water front; the ground water level is fast depleting. Bore wells yield water at 300 to 400 feet, where earlier the ground water levels used to be 70—100 feet. Every year, the level goes down by 10 feet. The situation is very alarming1, as it is directly affecting the people in the state, who are mainly dependent on agriculture and its allied activities.
Rupnagar district is located in the eastern part of the Punjab State. Agriculture is also the main source of the economy here. Depleting groundwater has led to an increasing demand for water to meet the agricultural and household needs. The traditional ponds system of Punjab, including the ones in Rupnagar district, are now lying in ruins. There is a need to harvest the rain water and increase the underground water levels.
PROPOSED LOCATION
State: Punjab
District: Rupnagar District
Tehsil: Anandpur Sahib
Village: Jhajjhar
Population: 1500
Total Households: 180
NEED FOR CHECK DAMS IN ANANDPUR SAHIB, RUPNAGAR DISTRICT, PUNJAB
Increase in demand from the agriculture sector is directly proportional to the exploitation of the ground water in the agrarian belts of Punjab. There is an increasing concern over the declining water table in this area, therefore the Central Ground Water Board has recommended reducing area under paddy by more than 10 lakh hectares to achieve sustainable growth. Rupnagar is one of the worst affected districts2in Punjab. The stage of groundwater development3 in Anandpur Sahib is 93%4, which means it is critical and needs to be addressed at the earliest. The Central Ground Water Board has recommended development of the Groundwater resource in Anandpur Sahib and Ropar blocks to ensure that the groundwater table is maintained.
2 http://agrariancrisis.in/2012/02/25/punjab-declining-water-table-reduce-area-under-paddy-water-board-tells-govt/
3 "Ratio of Annual Ground Water Draft and Net Annual Ground Water Availability in percentage."
4 http://cgwb.gov.in/documents/papers/incidpapers/paper%2011-%20sushil%20gupta.pdf
Please say Hi for me to my friends Atul Dev and Vikram Sahny..I am a rotarian.. i always read your blogs every year you go to India .I am so proud to be a Rotary member knowing and having a friend like you..even we don't know each other personally, rotarians truly are very blessed, sincere and happiest people.. God bless you and enjoy your journey..I am invting you to please come and visit the Philippines..Keep safe Mr Elias Thomas..keep in touch
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