Three Prakasam villages that beat water scarcity win national awards for rainwater harvesting

Murugummi, Marella, and Thangella in Prakasam district win national awards for rainwater harvesting under the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari campaign

Murugummi, Marella, and Thangella, three villages in Prakasam district that once faced acute water scarcity, have won national recognition after building nearly 195 water conservation structures with a combined storage capacity of about 24 lakh cubic metres under the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari campaign of the Ministry of Jal Shakti.

"The initiative has significantly improved groundwater availability, strengthened livelihoods, and reduced distress migration in the region. Earlier, these villages faced acute water scarcity due to erratic rainfall, declining groundwater levels, and frequent borewell failures, adversely affecting agriculture and livelihoods. The situation began to change with active community mobilisation through Gram Sabhas, door-to-door awareness campaigns, Kalajathas, workshops, and field demonstrations," the ministry said in a statement.

"Farmers, women, youth, and local institutions collectively adopted practices such as water budgeting, crop planning, and groundwater sharing, fostering a strong sense of ownership. Adopting a ridge-to-valley approach, the villages implemented a range of rainwater harvesting and conservation measures to capture, store, and recharge rainwater. Key interventions include percolation tanks, farm ponds, staggered trenches, rooftop rainwater harvesting systems, and the rejuvenation of community ponds," it added.

Seventy-one water conservation structures were built in Murugummi with a cumulative storage capacity of about 8.11 lakh cubic metres, providing protective irrigation to 264.5 hectares of agricultural land.

About 53 water conservation structures were developed in Marella village with a cumulative storage capacity of about 10.04 lakh cubic metres, covering 220.5 hectares. The renovation of community ponds and tanks added nearly 5.95 lakh cubic metres of storage capacity.

In Thangella village, 71 water conservation structures were built with a cumulative storage capacity of about 5.89 lakh cubic metres, providing irrigation to 185.3 hectares. The revival of traditional water bodies added about 3.98 lakh cubic metres. The improved groundwater level has benefited 5,900 people, providing access to water for domestic and agricultural use, the Ministry said.