Axalta Coating Systems formed a three-year partnership with S M Sehgal Foundation for a proposed soil and water conservation project in the semi-arid, drought-hit district of Alwar, Rajasthan.
In the next three years, three ponds will be developed in the region. The first pond will be built with a catchment area over 0.6 sq km in the Bhuriyabas village located in the Thanagazi block of the Alwar district, which has an average annual rainfall of 620 mm mostly from July to September. Each pond is expected to have a 10,000 kilolitre capacity to collect and store rainwater to support local farming, animal husbandry and eco-services. In addition, the project will also carry out tree planting to prevent soil erosion, provide shade and fodder to animals, and revive the area which has a biodiversity of about 12,000 wild species of flora and home to wild animals.
Agriculture and animal husbandry are the main source of livelihood of the villagers and rainwater is the key water source. The project will provide water management training to ensure that the catchment area can sustain the local community with water available all year round. The construction of one pond is expected to take about six months, after which the Sehgal Foundation will carry out monitoring and evaluation.