Case Study: Efforts of Tarun Bharat Sangh towards Water Conservation

Tarun Bharat Sangh was established in 1985 under the guidance of Shri Rajendra Singh. It started with Hamirpur village of Thanagazi Tehsil in Alwar district of Rajasthan. The residents of Thanagazi area under the guidance of Tarun Bharat Sangh achieved such a miracle which could not be achieved by Central Water Authority while searching of the Sarswati in Wester Rajasthan and Bhabha Atomic Research Centre together.

Tarun Bharat Sangh is a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO). Arvari river was reborn with a bhargirath efforts of this organization spanning over 15 years. Previously the river was dry and barren. There are two branches of Arvari river. The total length of these is 45 kilometres. Its watershed area is spread in 503 square km.Parts of Jaipur, Dausa and Alwar districts are included in this.

Previously, there used to be agricultural in an non-irrigated area here. There were no means of irrigation. Agriculture used to be done only on 10 percent of the land. Agriculture was entirely dependent upon rain. There was one cropped agriculture.

To remove the water scarcity in the area, Tarun Bharat Sangh with the help of villagers cleaned and deepened the tanks and ponds. Besides this, they also vowed to construct ponds on the sloppy parts of the hilly region. A village was chosen for this work in 1985-86. The results were very encouraging. Seeing this other villagers started competing in getting and making ponds constructed in their areas ‘Save water’ and ‘Johar Andolan’ were started in 1996. 3500 ponds have so far been constructed in this area.

The villagers themselves have constructed more than 70 ponds. Water level of underground water has risen after construction of these ponds. Water is available throughout the year in wells, tanks, ponds and rivers. Agricultural has also changed. Greenery dominates everywhere. Animals have become healthy and smart. Cows and buffaloes have started giving more milk.

The standard of living of the people has improved. The families below poverty line are also able to earn 40-50 thousand rupees per annum. Migration of people from villages to cities has stopped. Even migrated families have now started coming back to their villages.

The residents of 70 villages in Arvari river basin have constituted a unique ‘parliament’ of 150 members. This ‘parliament’ has been named as ‘Arvari Sansad’ after the name of Arvari river. The members of ‘Arvari Sansad’ took oath on the banks of the river in Hamipur on 26th January 1999. The constitution of Arvari Sansad came into effect from this day. This is such a sansad which not only frame the rules and laws but follow them also. All residents of the area follow these rules and laws strictly and also got them followed by others.

Arvari sansad has framed some rules and laws keeping the need of the people. Ecological balance and land in mind. The following are worth mentoring among them:

  1. Ban on growing crops such as sugarcane, rice and chillies which require more water.
  2. No one will use the river water for agriculture after Holi and before end of rainy season.
  3. No industrial unit will be established in watershed area.
  4. Recommended growing of millets, Jwar-Bajra and Maize.
  5. Allowed to grow vegetables in the lower parts of the river.
  6. Ban on hunting and cutting of green trees.
  7. No person with an axe will enter into recently developed ‘Bhairon Dev Manas’ sanctuary.
  8. The whole region has been declared as an area of bio-diversity.
  9. Ban on sending food grains and vegetables outside the region.
  10. Ban on grazing of animals by the people living outside the watershed area.

Today Arvari river has become very useful for the residents of the area. The people of the area worship this river also. Fair and festivals are celebrates. Arvari Sansad has established ‘Arvari temple’, Arvari treasury’ and ‘Arvari Sectariate’.

Such programmes are being carried on in other areas also. In this connection very encouraging programmes are going on in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Chhatisgarh. The Government should give protection and encouragement to such concepts. Such programmes should specially be carried on in rainfed areas.