DS Group Launches a Water Economic Zone in Madhya Pradesh

DS (Dharampal Satyapal) Group announced the launch of the  second ‘Water Economic Zone’, an integrated watershed development project at Khandwa and Betul districts in Madhya Pradesh, after successfully implementing the  first programme at Alsigarh and Kurabad Watershed areas in Udaipur. The proposed intervention will be implemented in 3000 ha. Area of Barud Gram Panchayat in Chhaigaon Makhan block of Khandwa district and 2400 ha. Area of Dabhona Gram Panchayat in Athner block of Betul district and will reach out to more than 2000 households, mostly from marginalized section of the society.

A community pond constructed by DS Group in Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh

‘Creation of Water Economic Zone’, through integrated watershed development projects focus on enhancing natural resources, particularly water and soil of an area, to increase its productivity. These project involve construction of recharging and storage structures, renovation of existing defunct or underutilized water bodies, soil conservation measures, introduction of efficient irrigation practices and also building institutions for long-term sustainability. The availability of water at surface and sub- surface level is enhanced many fold due to the watershed structures, which leads to increased irrigated area and improved crop productivity resulting in better economic conditions of the communities in the intervention areas. The project also promotes efficient use of water through improved irrigation practices such as Drip Irrigation and Rain guns along with harvesting climate-friendly crops.

The company has partnered with grass root level organizations – Arpan Seva Sansthan and Haritika for the implementation of the project in these two districts. A detailed project report (DPR) based on net planning under preparation for construction of various water conservation measures such as check dams, renovation of existing structures, de-siltation of ponds, Soil conservation measures such as CCT, DCCT, gabion for implemented in next few years.

To ensure long term sustainability, the company empowers the local communities and create community institutions like water users groups, farmers’ collectives, or any other suitable community institutions that successfully maintain and ensure continuity of the intervention.

DS Group launched the first ‘Water Economic Zone’ in the Alsigarh and Kurabad Watershed areas in Udaipur (Rajasthan) in 2018. The project reaches out to more than 23000 people from 26 villages, mostly from a tribal background, and will cover an area of around 11000 hectares across both locations in Udaipur by next year.

The project area had low productivity rain-fed farming, severe soil erosion in the undulating topography and degraded land and forest. Currently, the project is being implemented in an area of 9214 Hectares (4984 Hectares in Alsigarh and 4230 Hectares in Kurabad). DS Group has constructed 311 soil and water conservation structures such as Anicuts or Check Dams, Mini Percolation Tanks or Earthen Dams, and other structures like Continuous Contour Trenches, Gabion, Gully Plugs, Recharge Pits, etc. These structures have a water storage and recharge capacity of about 21, 52,931 Cubic meters. 1,26,860 cubic meters of Continuous Contour trenches have been constructed so far, which can recharge 7,04,960 cubic meters of water in an average monsoon. Additional 456 ha area has been brought under irrigation with these efforts.

DS Group also supported construction & rejuvenation of three Community Ponds in Chhatarpur district to enhance groundwater levels through recharge and restoration and also promote water-efficient farming practices. The project benefits around 2000 marginalized population, whose main source of livelihood is agriculture and cattle rearing. A Stop Dam at Gopalpura village of Meghnagar block in Jhabua district, Madhya Pradesh was also constructed by the Group, which has benefited around 200 families, whose livelihood depends on agriculture.  Potable water has also been made available for them.

The Group is also supporting Adharshila Shiksha Samiti to run a Sr. Secondary School for Sahariya Tribes in a remote part of Sheopur district in Madhya Pradesh. The school is providing quality education and preparing around 500 students for higher education. The school was started to empower the next generation of tribal communities that were resettled outside the Kuno Wild Life Sanctuary.

The DS Group aims to ensure long term availability of water through geography specific conservation measures and judicial utilization of resources. The group supports multiple projects in partnership with like-minded grassroots level organizations in the state of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Gujarat, benefitting millions of people from the marginalized communities. Recognizing the efforts of the organization towards making India Water Secure, it was recently awarded third best Industry for CSR activities at National Water Awards organized by Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India.
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