What was once a small seasonal, rain-fed river has now turned into an all-season one. This metamorphosis of the Meghal river in Junagadh district has brought about an increase in farm produce and prosperity. Construction of check dams at strategic points on the river has ensured that water remains in it all through the year.
The Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP), which is a part of the Aga Khan Foundation, is largely responsible for this transformation. Umesh Desai, programme coordinator of AKRSP, says, “It was easy to mobilise people for the revival of the river project. They have an emotional connection with the river and were ready to help us.”
Help meant contributing both in cash and kind. Since 2002, AKRSP has built 140 check dams, big and small on the river. Many villagers contributed by giving money for the project and many more helped in the actual construction of the check dams.
The results have been startling. Desai says, “There is 30-km stretch of crops in Maliya taluka in the Rabi season when till a few years back there was nothing grown.”
Bhimjibhai Patel, a farmer from Khorasagir village in Maliya taluka, says, “Earlier we used to grow only groundnuts and everything depended on the rains. Now I also grow wheat and vegetables in the Rabi season, when there used to be no water earlier.”
AKRSP used a three-pronged approach for the Meghal River Basin Project. First, was ensuring massive community participation, second was the constructing the check dams and the third was employing side by side traditional rain water harvesting measures.
Rahul Kumar, project officer for AKRSP in Mailya taluka of Junagadh district, says: “We encouraged people to harvest rainwater in building tankas or underground tanks. We also helped in restoring the old tankas.” The advantages of rainwater harvesting were put forth before the people by way of street plays and lok bhavaior folk songs.
Meghal is not the longest of rivers at 70 km _ it originates at Kanada Dungur in Mendarda taluka in Junagadh district and flows into the Arabian Sea at Chorwad. However, it is hugely important for the people of Maliya, Mendarda, Keshod and Mangrol talukas it flows through.
It is referred as the Lokmata or the mother goddess in these parts. The check dams have ensured that 54 villages in these four talukas of Junagdah district and 4,000 hectares of land will not be without water.
As Dahyalal Bhimai, a farmer from Ajab village Keashos taluka, says: “I can also grow vegetables and am planning a cotton crop this year, thanks to the water in the river.”
The Meghal project has shown that small projects too can reap big benefits. As Dahyalal says, “Moto labh che.”