Experts divided over Jalyukta Shivar’s impact

The recent claims made by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis about the success of the Jalyukta Shivar scheme have divided the water conservation community as the State braces for a heat wave.

In figures released this month, Mr. Fadnavis said the scheme was on course to make the State drought-free by 2019. Almost 11,247 villages have been made water neutral since the flagship programme was launched on January 26, 2016, he said. But while some believe the scheme has resulted in an increase in the water table by about three metres, others question the “superficiality” of the programme.

The government has made a budgetary provision of ₹1,500 crore this year while identifying 5,031 villages which are to be made water neutral. Another 6,200 villages will be taken up in 2018-19. The scheme aims to create artificial water storage facilities to raise the water table, including deepening existing streams and digging farm ponds, promising to make Maharashtra drought-free by 2019.

Ajit Ranade, chief economist at the Aditya Birla Group, lauded the government for delivering the promised results. “Impact of water conservation in Maharashtra — same level of crop production with almost 40% less rainfall. Water table raised by three metres in drought-prone Marathwada and second Rabi crop being grown even in drought-prone regions … is unheard [of] earlier,” he said.

Mr. Ranade also commended the Paani Foundation, a brainchild of actor Aamir Khan, and the Naam Foundation started by actors Nana Patekar and Makarand Anaspure for their work.

According to Mr. Fadnavis, 1,00,265 wells have been constructed so far and 76,689 are under construction as part of the scheme. However, officials said the scheme went off track in 2016-17, when only ₹455 crore was spent and work completed in just 58 villages in the entire year. The allotted budget for the year was ₹7,871 crore.

A section of conservationists said that digging artificial farm ponds is not a new concept and has been in practise many years in Maharashtra. They cite the example of the Indian-German collaboration project Jalswaraj, watershed projects in the Aadgaon village undertaken in the 1970s, and conservation works carried out by experts like M.N. Khadse and Appasaheb Pawar.

“This government has just repackaged the idea and given it wider publicity with a glamour touch by involving Aamir Khan. Maharashtra has a long history of water conservation starting from the early ’70s. If you look closely, the current scheme has many loopholes in its conception,” said water conservation expert Anil Shidore. “I know of at least 100 such experiments, some even pioneering. [It’s] sad that we have forgotten them.”

Also see: http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/no-desire-to-see-paani-foundation-go-on-forever/article23817340.ece