Aim

The main aims of the project are history & use of water, a water resources audit, to build up community institutions like water users groups, to ensure future needs & sustainability & finally to build a peoples' regional water management plan & setting up an e-portal for the Sigur region..

Objective

Develop a strategy for Sustainable Community-based Interventions through: Action-Research, Innovation & Enterprise for the Conservation & Development of Freshwater Resources.

Components of the Project

The first component in the proposed project is to trace the history and use of water and the reasons for the breakdown of community based water management systems. A proper field survey and data analysis will give us an intervention window as to how to revive the sharing mechanisms in a contemporary setting. Use of a proper mix of appropriate technologies, communications, media and culture will be tried to arrive at working solutions between communities, up-hill and downstream villages, Government water departments and villagers.

The second component is to arrive at a Water Resources Audit. This will consist of a resource analysis - causative factors of water crisis, typical patterns if any, and future scenarios under different management options, the conditions and variability across seasons and past trends. Data would be generated in this, which would identify freshwater budgets in hill areas, which are typically source zones. A menu of options would be available after the audit on “what to do & where by whom”.

The third aspect of the project would be to work at the grassroots level with community institutions and design interventions along with them. This would entail: “creation of water users group, monitoring water quality, sensitizing water department staff on local water sources, developing water managerial caliber in the villages and designing village water plans (sources, quality issues, management and distribution systems, conflicting issues)”. This component would be the implementation aspect spread through out the district.

The fourth component of the project is how to ensure future needs and sustainability - technically how to improve the resources, measure to counter over-exploitation. On the management, regulation and control mechanisms this will investigate possible village water funds and tariffs for financial sustainability.

The last component will be to build a peoples' regional water management plan. This will be in an electronic database at the block/district level. Each areas water issues and the mitigation measures will be highlighted with the budget necessary to undertake the work. This plan will facilitate the direct investment of Government funds into hill regions and make it more relevant and demand-driven. This component will be designed so as to be enterprise-oriented - results will be disseminated through a water-portal, which will be accessed by other interested parties in the Western Ghats region.