NREGS AS A TOOL TO SAVE RIVERS: CASE STUDY FROM DHAMANI, MAHARASHTRA

NREGS AS A TOOL TO SAVE RIVERS: CASE STUDY FROM DHAMANI, MAHARASHTRA

Eroding rivers and destruction in the wetland resources are of grave concern of our time. Pollution, habitat destruction, big dams, deforestation leading to siltation and over use of the riverine resources are the important reasons behind this situation. The cascading effect of this ecological meltdown is on local people like fishermen depend on these resources for their subsistence. National Rural Employment Guaranty Scheme (NREGS) can be a very good tool to restore wetland resources. Using the vast potential of NREGS in short term people will get secure livelihood and in long term the sustainability of riverine resources will be maintain.
Such an initiative has been taken at Dhamani village of the Washim district in Maharashtra. Dhamani village is situated at the bank of Adan River, an important tributary of river Penganga. The village is the mosaic of various occupational groups viz. agriculturist, fishermen and unorganized labor. This year due to severe drought in this area, there is no employment. Adan River is dried completely, thus fishermen lost their livelihood of fishing. Due to crop failure in this area agriculture labors also don’t have any employment. NREGS was absolutely not working in this area. 160 million rupees has been sanctioned for Washim district and 0.2 million labors registered for NREGS, but interestingly only 10 million rupees only utilized and 200 labors has been working in whole Washim district. At Dhamani, one and half years ago about 200 labors registered for NREGS but still last month they didn’t have job cards (As per NREGS act after registration people should get Job Cards within 15 days). In addition, there is general carelessness about this issue among government departments and local Grampanchayat.
Along with 400 labors we demonstrated by peaceful Gandhian way, as a result recently labors got employment and work of 11 forest and agriculture ponds along with other watershed work in the Adan river basin started. Presently 300 labors are working which approximately double that of total labors is working in whole Washim district. Taking inspiration from this initiative NREGS work at other sites in the Adan river basin also started. System approach of whole basin management is the basic approach considered for this initiative. From ridge to valley various positive interventions are needed to save our river, from Dhamani experience we are moving in that direction.
Agriculturist and fishermen have a common issue i.e. availability of water for irrigation and fishes. If the sustainability of river maintain only then the livelihood of both will be secured. Keeping this basic assumption in mind people are enthusiastically working to save river.

Dr. Nilesh Heda
SAMVARDHAN
Karanja (Lad) Maharashtra, nilheda@gmail.com