Students and NCC cadets working with the army ‘s TA battalion in Marathwada region
Because of their water conservation work, it could save lakhs of trees only.
A water conservation expert, who has worked in Marathwada region, told TOI, “Water conservation through scientific work is the only long term solution to the recurring water crisis in the region. Pune: With Marathwada reeling from a severe rainfall deficit, depleted reservoirs and widespread damage to kharif crops, the Territorial Army’s ecological battalion is stepping up efforts to strengthen the region’s water security through rainwater harvesting, afforestation and land restoration. The TA’s work is the testimony to it. A similar approach the forest department needs to consider.”
Marathwada received only 65.35% of its average seasonal rainfall, according to a presentation made by divisional commissioner G Shreekant to a central drought assessment team during its recent visit to the region. Reservoir storage had fallen to 30.7% of capacity, while groundwater levels in Jalna, Dharashiv and Latur were 4 to 5 metres below the five-year average. Therefore, we can’t predict the situation in the coming months,” added the officer.
“Increasing local water retention, restoring vegetation and protecting soil can help communities manage rainfall variability, although these measures cannot substitute for adequate rainfall or comprehensive water-resource planning,” a senior officer from the TA group headquarters, Southern Command, told TOI. Against this backdrop, the battalion’s conservation work aims to retain rainwater that would otherwise flow away, encourage groundwater recharge and restore vegetation in degraded landscapes. “The reservoirs are intended to capture and store rainwater for use during dry periods, while the plantation and land-restoration programme seeks to improve the ecological health of the region. Vegetation helps bind soil, reduce erosion and improve moisture retention, potentially creating favourable conditions for rainwater to percolate into the ground,” added the officer. The battalion’s approach extends beyond planting trees or constructing water-storage structures. It combines water conservation, afforestation and soil and moisture conservation to improve the resilience of landscapes facing recurring droughts. However, the scale of the current crisis also underlines the limitations of isolated interventions. Water-storage structures can make a meaningful contribution, but their effectiveness depends on rainfall, catchment conditions, maintenance and the extent to which conservation measures are implemented across entire watersheds. “Currently, we are not facing an issue but the increasing day temperatures results in a high evaporation rate.