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With the advent of diesel pumps and electric
motors, there has been a rapid increase
in the number of wells and tube-wells along
the Gujarat coastline over the last 20 years.
Large-scale ground water extraction has
led to seawater ingress. At some places,
this has reached 10-15 km inland, affecting
underground water aquifers, and leaving
over 1,500 villages with drinking water
unfit for human consumption.
Though the average rainfall in the area
is 600-800 mm per annum, the natural recharge
of ground water is low. Environmental degradation
of this coastal area has led to migration,
decline in cattle population, and acute
crises of quality drinking water for the
villages.
Prolonged use of saline water for irrigation
has led to a decline in agricultural productivity
and decreased soil fertility, rendering
the land unsuitable for future cultivation.
Salinity has caused social unrest in many
coastal villages.
Experience has indicated that tackling
salinity requires a mixture of demand and
supply side water interventions, the objective
being to encourage farmers to change crop
patterns and switch over to equally remunerative
crops that consume less water. This will
help decrease groundwater extraction.
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| Geographical
spread of projects |
In an effort to facilitate a solution to
this environmental catastrophe, the Trusts,
along with their partner organisations launched
the Kharash Vistarotthan Yojana (KVY) in
2002. KVY was earlier known as the ‘Gujarat
Coastal Salinity Prevention and Mitigation
Initiative’.
Coastal Salinity Prevention
Cell
In recognition of the complexity and the
multi-faceted nature of the problems within
KVY, there was a need to tie in the work
carried out by these organisations, including
the relevant departments of the government
of Gujarat (GoG), through the formation
of a Cell.
The Cell would co-ordinate, and provide
technical inputs to on-going salinity projects
in the state, and develop innovative programmes
and initiatives. It was this need that led
to the genesis of the Coastal
Salinity Prevention Cell (CSPC), which
commenced operations in 2005, through a
grant of Rs25.35 million.
Housed in Ahmedabad, the role of CSPC has
been visualised as a fulcrum to develop
and strengthen various initiatives of government
and civil society organisations, including
KVY, that are aimed at addressing the issue
of salinity.
Key activities of the
CSPC include:
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Developing a knowledge bank on issues
related to coastal salinity |
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Developing new
research ideas and innovative concepts
for field level piloting |
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Facilitating coordination
meetings with government officials on
possible collaborations with CSPC |
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Networking with
academic institutions and technical
resource agencies |
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Appraising and
reviewing the field projects under KVY,
besides identifying new partner organisations.
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The Coastal Salinity Cell is hence perceived
as the fulcrum to develop and strengthen KVY.
Consequently, CSPC has made the following
broad thematic areas for the various interventions
for scaling up of the salinity mitigation
initiatives, its top priority:
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Knowledge management through information
exchange |
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Integrated water
resources development and judicious
management of the available resources |
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Improving agricultural
production through adoption of specific
improved practices |
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Focusing on establishing
market linkages, and diversifying economic
activity to other non-farm based activities
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Enhancing access
to safe drinking water in the salinity
affected villages |
Key grants
Also see:
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