Nashik : As many as 101 Vanrai bandharas (forest bunds) have been constructed in tehsils of Trimbakeshwar, Peth, Surgana and Dindori under Mission Jal Parishad in Nashik district.
More and more Vanrai bandharas are still being constructed with the active participation of villagers. It is noteworthy that due to the spontaneous response of the villagers to the mission, the bunds are being built at almost every village and hamlet.
This mission is being considered ambitious as it is celebrating one year since the last meeting of the Jal Parishad at Harsul held on December 22, 2019. The Parishad at Harsul meet had undertaken campaign for construction of 101 Vanrai Bandhara under Mission Jal Parishad.
The mission launched jointly by the villagers and Jal Parishad volunteers at Shevagapada in Trimbakeshwar taluka later reached Jalbari in Trimbakeshwar, Peth, Surgana and Dindori talukas. Village panchayats, agriculture department, tarun mitra, teachers, forest department, social workers, office bearers, sarpanch, police patil have voluntarily registered for shramdaan.
Availability of water is vital for agriculture, generation of income, employment opportunities, boosting transportation and the development of human resources. Despite the abundant rains in parts of these talukas, the villagers have to face a lot of water scarcity in summer and travel on foot miles to fetch water.
Keeping this in mind, members of Jal Parishad Janak Mahale and Anil Borse undertook “Mission Jal Parishad 101 Vanrai Bandhara campaign” with the participation of local villagers from the remote and summer scarcity-hit village of Shevagapada.
Today, this campaign has been completed by constructing 101 forest dams through the hard work of the villagers. And new Vanrai dams are still being built. Nearly 178 forest bunds have so far been constructed in these talukas.
Villages with more than five forest bunds
Aamlon, Jategaon, Hatlondhi, Kakaddari, Tandlachibari, Goldari, Savarpada, Murumati, Kharwal, Shevgapada, Adgaon, Hathrundi, Chinchwad, Pipalpada, Ojharkhed, Junodha, Mohdand, Chodav. Kulwandi, Mokhanal and Borvan in talukas of Peth, Trimbakeshwar, Dindori and Surgana.
Convinced of the importance of water, the villagers voluntarily participated in the campaign. Mission Jal Parishad succeeded in completing 101 Vanrai bunds as thousands of villagers and various departments came together for construction. I am happy that a large number of bunds are still being constructed in some areas. As these small dams will be useful for the next two to three months, water scarcity will be mitigated to some extent.
– Popat Mahale, member, Jal Parishad
