How these villagers from Ranchi are boosting forest cover and collecting rainwater

Many villages across the country have started digging waterholes to preserve the local flora and fauna. One such village is called Lamkana, situated near Ranchi, Jharkhand, where villagers have dug up waterholes to regerminate Sal seeds in the forest.

Over the years, the villagers noticed a loss in the forest cover and decided to take action. They started a campaign to increase the forest cover by digging small pits in the forests around the area. This led to an increase in rainwater retention and allowed Sal seeds to germinate.

The New Indian Express reported, that the villagers dug up more than 3,500 waterholes across 20 acres of forest land. They had dug more than 2,000 waterholes in around 65 percent of the forest area before the onset of the monsoon last year.

The villagers did all the work independently, without seeking assistance from any government agency. The village councillor Rajesh Oraon said that the work has been done during COVID-19 induced lockdown. He also reported that Sal saplings started appearing in the holes they dug up last year, which motivated the villagers to continue with their efforts.

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“The forest cover in our area has dwindled. So, we thought digging up small pits could help. The entire 20-acre jungle belongs to our village and protecting it is our duty,” said Rajesh, according to Platocast.

Their idea to replant Sal seeds was cleared by the Panchayat. The panchayat also encouraged the villagers to offer “shramdaan” (voluntary contribution of labour), wherein at least one member from each family was requested to come forward to help.

The villagers have also taken the responsibility of keeping an eye on the jungle. Rajesh said, “Two youths are deputed every year. They are given 20kg of paddy from each of the 125 households.”

This is not the first such initiative. A few years ago, the Pune forest division also dug water holes across the forest to provide water to animals during times of scarcity. This also led to a decrease in the number of animals dying in road accidents while searching for water.

(Written by Vrinda Garg)

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