As part of its efforts to support groundwater recharge in rural areas, VA Tech Wabag, which constructed the desalination plant in Nemmeli, has joined hands with NABARD to implement pilot projects in a few villages of Cuddalore and Kancheepuram districts.

The project aims at enhancing the groundwater resources in villages such as Pulleri, Thunjam, Alagusamudram, Sogandy and Melaripakkam in Kancheepuram district and Thethampattu and Adivaraganallur villages in Cuddalore district.

According to sources in the company, farm ponds and other artificial recharge structures will be formed to improve agricultural yield and also address the issue of drinking water needs in these rural pockets.

Farmers will also be encouraged to implement agro forestry for effective land use. The three-year project will be implemented at a total cost of Rs. 5 crore and would cover nearly 4,000 hectares of irrigation land. Field channels would also be created to increase cultivated land and crop productivity.

Capacity building programmes for farmers would be organised on cultivation techniques and income generation.

This in turn would also provide better job opportunities for people and decrease migration to urban areas, sources said.

MoU signed

A memorandum of understanding was recently signed between NABARD and VA Tech Wabag towards the cause.

NABARD’s chief general manager S. Nagoor Ali Jinnah and VA Tech Wabag’s director S. Varadarajan were present on the occasion.

The support of non-governmental organisations, Hand in Hand India and National Agro Foundation, has been sought to execute the project.

The 3-year project will be implemented at a cost of Rs.5 cr. and cover nearly 4,000 hectares