Background

SVARAJ and AKNPS have been working in Doddaballapur Taluk (Bangalore rural district) and the upper catchments of Arkavathi river for three years sensitising communities on issues of drinking water, water for irrigation and town water planning as a platform to create public understanding, to debate and take necessary action to meet the drinking water, sanitation and water for irrigation needs of communities and to recharge ground water in the region.  In the first phase, much has been achieved including sensitisation and formation of community based organisations on water, rejuvenation of water channels, tanks and water sanctums, construction of check dams as well as roof top rain water harvesting structures in over a 100 households in Doddaballapur.

Svaraj, together with the AKNPS, has proposed a three year second phase intervention - building on its first phase - with a specific focus on integrated urban water resource management in collaboration with Arghyam.

Project Details

• A 'situation report' on the status of Doddaballapur town – its people, its vision,  town water sources, water quality and usage, sanitation facility and its usage, treatment of solid-waste and waste water and the policy and programme/project environment within which water is managed.
• A base line study of the watershed to audit water-harvesting and use
• Monitor trends of water use and disposal at the community and town level to better understand the dimensions of the problem.  This includes water, sanitation and other poverty index - health, food security, livelihood, income poverty.
• Build  capacity of local community in natural resource management
• Comprehensive technical plan for Nagarakere Tank
• Develop plans and models with active participation of stakeholder groups for critical components of the plan and to present workable solutions to government for full implementation. Models to include:
  • Rejuvenation of Nagarakere and selected tanks and channels in the upper catchments
  • Alternative sanitation at household and at community level
  • Segregation of household waste for composting 

Project Duration: 3 years (Jan 2009 to Dec 2011)