CEC identifies model villages to implement community-led water management initiative

CEC launches community-led water management projects in Kancheepuram's model villages to enhance water conservation and agricultural productivity.

In its continuing efforts to engage the community in water budgeting and conservation initiatives, the Centre of Excellence for Change Management (CEC) — comprising professionals from various government departments — will implement pilot projects on community-collaborative water management in villages identified across three districts.

The CEC — an institutional platform of professionals from public utilities and departments, including the Water Resources Department (WRD) — has identified two model villages, Damal and Puthagaram, in Kancheepuram district to empower the community on water management aspects. There are plans to expand the project to Tiruvallur and Madurai districts.

Both villages share similar profiles and face issues such as inadequate coverage of the entire command area and inequitable water distribution.

During a survey for water budgeting in Damal village with nearly 2,300 households, the CEC team found that the total water availability was nearly 213.8 million cubic feet (mcft), whereas the deficit was 249.6 mcft.

The team has started engaging residents in various activities to help them adopt to suitable strategies for farming and drinking water conservation.

K. Nagarajan, president of CEC and former special engineer of WRD, said: “We are developing a decision support system with different strategies tailored to the villagers’ needs. An operation plan, incorporating traditional wisdom and the latest techniques, is being prepared to ensure optimum use of water and conservation of resources.”