SAVING WATER, SAVING LIVES
Rotary International and PHD Rural Development Foundation (PHDRDF) have had a long standing partnership towards water conservation in the dry lands of India.
In association with Rotary Club of Delhi South Central eight water harvesting structures have been established in Alwar and Sikar at Rajasthan, one of the water harvesting structure has been sponsored by Mr Sanjay Aggarwal, President, PHD Chamber of Commerce & Industry. The structures have been inaugurated on the 24th and 29th day of June 2021. The inauguration has been done in presence of Mr Sanjay Aggarwal, President, PHD Chamber of Commerce & Industry; Mr Saurabh Sanyal, Secretary General, PHDCCI; Mr Sandeep Aggarwal , Mentor- Telecom Committee, PHDCCI; team of Rotarians including Mr Dharmesh Mehta, President of Rotary Club of Delhi South Central; Mr Arun Kataruka Secretary; Mr Dinesh Jain, Mr Mukesh Agarwal; Dr Kadambari, CEO, PHDRDF, Mr Brajmohan, PHDRDF and others. Shri Suresh Modi, MLA, Neem Ka Thana was also present for the inauguration ceremony held at Sikar, Rajasthan. At the ceremony, Mr Sanjay Aggarwal, President, PHDCCI highlighted the need of water conservation in the dry belt of Rajasthan and motivated the villagers to maintain the check dam in future. Villagers showed their gratitude to the team for the noble cause.
PHDRDF has been relentlessly working towards implementation of establishing water harvesting structures (WHS) in various parts of the country and has also promoted plantation along with the construction of WHS leading to an increase in ground water levels and the vegetative cover around the structures. It has so far constructed over 260+ structures which has more than 500 lac+ Cu Mts water harvesting potential.
India largely being an agricultural country, the construction of check dam helps in improvising the agricultural methods and in the production of vegetation. Mr Sanjay Bhatia, Chairman, PHDRDF has always emphasized the need and importance of water harvesting structures, that has other socio-economic and environmental benefits like increase in ground water level, source of income for women, improved and easy access to water, increase in farm income etc.
Watershed development is a mandate of Government of Rajasthan, which promotes organizations to take up watershed development activities in most drought prone areas. The state of Rajasthan which is mostly characterized by semi-arid climate, extreme paucity of water, Rajasthan faces sever ecological crises, with receding vegetative cover and reducing agriculture production. PHDRDF has so far worked in six districts of Rajasthan (Alwar, Sikar, Dausa, Baran, Udaipur and Banswara) and helped improve the lives of people there. With the check dam built in these districts, it not only improves the agricultural practice but also enhances the scope of farming. More scope for employment and high outcome for production of vegetation are just an added deal that comes with it.
In addition to these activities the foundation has also worked towards empowering women in Rajasthan through SHGs and educating farmers to improve farm production. Through these projects all the activities will be replicated into one geographical area for providing maximum long term ecological and livelihood benefits to the beneficiaries.
