Institutional Distinctiveness

Background:

Climate change and Environmental issues arethe global concerns impacting the local living. Being the leading institution in the region, it has been distinctly portrayed it’s sensitivity and sensibility towards theseissues by adopting environment friendly practices and positive actions in resolving them through energy conservation, green and clean energy, rain water harvesting, waste management on campus and promoting them in the region as the institutional social responsibility. The college is located in Deur in the northern area of Koregaon tehsil, the region known for scanty rainfall leading to periodical droughts. Due to lack of assured irrigation facilities, farmers are mostly relied on rainfall and bore well facilities created on their own. As a result, water table has been gone down upto300 to 400 ft. More so, most of the bore Wells have run dry in the region. Besides, the region faces severe scarcity of drinking water; the conditions become even acute during summer. Owing to this, among others, promoting the projects like rain water harvesting, bore well recharge would certainly improve the water table in the region, thereby providing a sort of reprieve in dealing with the problem of water scarcity prevalent in the region. This will not only help resolve the scarcity of water plaguing the people in the region but also enhance the institute-society connect.

The Problem:

The residents of North Koregaon tehsils of Satara district mainly depend on agriculture, dairy, goat rearing, local hens and manual labour for their livelihood. The majority of farming is rain fed, and farmers primarily grow kharif and rabbi crops. The irrigation sources are percolation tanks. The main reasons for crop failure are insufficient rainfall and absence of water harvesting structures. This is felt most acutely in the summer season, when all the bore wellsrun dry. The selected villages (Dahigaon, Deur, and PHCs in Palshi, Wathar and Pimpode Bk. of north of Koregaon and Adarki Kh. in Phaltan tehsil) for this project also lack drinking water during summer.

The Solution:

Since the majority of bore wells get dry before March, we planned to recharge them using a reliable technique. This would elevate the water table, thereby improving availability of water for drinking purpose in summer season. Our project included recharging of bore wells in Dahigaon, Deur, and PHCs in Palshi, Wathar and Pimpode Bk. of north of Koregaon and Adarki Kh. in Phaltan tehsil of Satara District.

Partners: Rotary Club of Satara:

In Phaltan and north Koregaon tehsil of Satara district, the bore well recharge project was financially supported by Rotary Club of Satara. Both,the College and Rotary Club of Satara, have been working in the mosiful region. They conduct regular awareness and training programs in these areas.

Objectives of the Project:

1. To restore and conserve water and increase the water table.

2. To minimize the drinking water scarcity, especially in summer days.

3. To enable the people to take up initiative for bore well recharge.

4. To mitigate the risk of drinking water due to water scarcity.

Overview:

The bore well recharge project was implemented on field under the initiative and technical guidance of the College and financial support of the Rotary Club of Satara. The selection of beneficiaries based on survey conducted under Unnat Bharat Abhiyan Scheme with the help of College students and volunteers. The average depth of the surveyed bore wells was 200-250feet. Total 08bore well recharges were implemented by bore well recharge techniques under this scheme.

Borewell Recharge Technique:

1.Identification of the bore well

2.Marking and lineout of the recharge pit spot.

3.Digging and excavation for the water storage pit (dimensions 5ft x 5ft x 6ft).

4.Refilling the excavated pit with stones (up to 1.5 feet from the bottom)

5.Making small openings on the casing pipe and wrapping it with a shade net

6.Again, refilling the pit filled with stone, crashed stones and sand respectively up to the ground level.

7.Finally, a brick structure to cover the boundaries of the recharge pit preventing waste or used water directly entering the recharge pit.

8.Making a provision for roof-water collection and harvesting it into the pit.

Field Visit:

College team visited 8bore well recharge sites.The purpose of the visit was to check on the present condition of the bore well recharge units and assess their impact.

Impact of Project:

1.Positive feedback from borewell recharge beneficiaries.

2.Earlier, the borewells were running with water upto the month of February. After implementing this water conservation technique, the same borewells now run throughout the summer season.

3.The borewell recharge system has helped to overcome the drinking water shortage in summer days.