The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Rainwater harvesting structures to improve groundwater level in the district

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Monday, Apr 07, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Rainwater harvesting structures to improve groundwater level in the district

Staff Reporter

NAMAKKAL: The agricultural engineering department has constructed over 300 structures to harvest rainwater in different parts of Namakkal district. Collector G. Sundaramurthi, in a statement, said that the structures were constructed by the department as apart of the initiatives to improve the ground water level in the district. Listing out the works carried out by the department, the Collector said that 43 check dams were built in various tribal hamlets in Kolli Hills under the Integrated Tribal Development Programme. Besides, 47check dams, 12 percolation ponds and 146 farm ponds were established in different parts of the district. The department also constructed 74 rain water harvesting structures including 62 check dams in three watershed areas in Namakkal and Paramathi Velur blocks with the financial assistance from the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development.

It had conducted programmes to raise the level of awareness among farmers about the significance of rainwater harvesting and water management, he added. The Collector further said that the department also extended subsidy for the farmers to purchase 59 tractors, 34 power tillers and 74 rotovators in the last two years. Over 1,900 farmers were given subsidy to purchase motor pump sets. Training programmes were conducted for 180 youths about effective utilisation of machines in cultivation processes, micro irrigation and maximisation of agricultural productivity. In all, the department had carried out various works to the tune of Rs. 4.31crore in the last two years, he said. Mr. Sundaramurthi appealed to the farmers in the district to co-operate with the district administration and adopt modern cultivation technologies to improve the agricultural productivity of the district.

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