Watershed Development

Project Summary

1. Seventhipatty & Vadavathur a couple of Watershed Village have undertaken for WDF Project. Seventhipatty Water village including Jumbumadai hamlet from Vadavathur village Panchayat also.

Panchayat Seventhipatty Vadavathur
Total Area 797.30.0 3145.759
Treatable Area 613.86.5 769.910
Watershed Code 431B3b3a1 4B1B3b3a2

2. Prolem Background:-
The target area is Seventhipatty Watershed located in Erumapatty block of Namakkal district, one of the most drought district in the State of Tamilnadu. Here there are Severe water shortages both for drinking and agriculture, Falling soil fertility and Crop yields, little vegetation cover and hence a shortage of Fodder and fuel. There are no alternative income generating opportunities in the area and the people are forced to migrate to the cities like Namakkal, Thirupur and Karur for semi skilled Labout in building construction or poultry Forms.

3. Specific Problem in Seventhipatty Watershed
HEALDS have been Conducted Participatory Rural Appraisal in every villages within the watershed area. Specific Problems identified and furnished as follows.

(i) Dispute between two hamlets regarding utilization of water resources from Seventhipatty Irrigation Pond.

(ii) Poor management of land and water resources.

(iii) Decreased volume of Agriculture Production may lead to people migration for employment opportunities in near by Towns or districts.

(iv) Poor Socio-Economic conditions

(v) Myths and misconceptions about environmental issues.

(vi) Chemical fertilizers and pesticides which highly pollute the Environment.

4. Project Objectives
(a) To improve the productivity of the land and increase the availability of water in the whole watershed area so as to enable the inhabitants to increase their incomes while restoring and protecting the environment. Involvement of village communities in Participatory planning, implementation, Social and environmental management, maintenance of assets and to operate in a more socially inclusive manner.

b) Specific objectives of the project:-

• To promote sustainable economic development of the community which in directly or indirectly dependent on the seventhipatty & Vadavathur watershed.

• To encourage restoration of ecological balance in the Seventhipatty & Vadavathur village watershed.

• Special emphasis to improve economic and social conditions of the resource-poor and the disadvantaged sections of the Seventhipatty watershed community such as the landless and Women.

• Mass awareness Camp for conservation of land and water among various sections of the community.

• To impart appropriate agricultural Practices in Seventhipatty & Vadavathur Watershed areas.

• Promote sustainable Farming through utilization of natural resources.

• Ensure proper livestock management.

• Promote Alternate livelihood opportunities towards enhance the income Standard of the poor Farmers.

• Established group system among farmer, poor women and landless Labourers.

Main features of the watershed Area Soil and water conservation

The availability of rainfall is minimum and seasonal distribution of rainfall in irregular. Since over 70% of the rainfall in received during northeast monsoon period and the rainfall is much less. Hence there is emergence need is to harvest the rainwater received during this limited period for utilize throughout the year.

Area Treatment measures:-

A continuous soil erosion is very high due to various reasons, hence in order to develop soil and water conservation measures in all common agriculture land. The following measures proposed for Area treatment as follows.

• Fodder Development

• Develop agro Forestry and Agro horticulture

• Construction of Stone Wall.

• Deep Ploughing

Drainage Treatment

Run – off Zone

Recharge Zone

Storage Zone

There are three zones in CBP level activities. Excess rainwater coming out from the fields will safely dispose through the following drainage treatments.

• Establishing sunken ponds

• Channel clearing

• Channel Forming

• Deepening of percolation ponds

• Construct Stone Wall

Village Watershed Committee

The village Watershed Committee formed by the members from 7 hamlets in Seventhipatty and Vadavathur watershed. HEALDS (PFA) Proposed to strengthen the functions of VWC towards own the project in future.