NTPC Mouda aids 150 villages to overcome water crisis

The National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), a central public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Power in Mouda, Maharashtra, has assisted over 150 villages in and around its operational area in overcoming water scarcity through a groundwater rejuvenation project. As part of its CSR initiative, NTPC Mouda is supporting the Jalyukta Shivar Yojana project, which has successfully transformed Mouda into a water-surplus tehsil. The Maharashtra wing of Art of Living spearheaded this project, with assistance from a few other organisations and the state government. Previously, Mouda was one of Nagpur's most water-stressed tehsils. The project, which began in 2017, has covered more than 200 km in the tehsils of Mouda, Hingna, and Kamptee. Over 150 villages have benefited from it in the last four years. NTPC Mouda had contributed Rs 78 lakh for the fuel charges of the involved machinery and equipment. NTPC Mouda has also contributed one crore to a similar rejuvenation project involving five ponds spread across 1,000 acres. The ‘trap the rain where it falls' technique entails the construction of ponds and nullahs along the length of the river in order to hold rainwater for an extended period of time. Previously, rainwater would run off the ground, but now it has enough time to percolate deep into the ground. This has resulted in a massive rise in groundwater levels. Until a few years ago, farmers in this area struggled to find water for crops like paddy, wheat, and chilly during the pre-harvesting seasons. Now, the stored rainwater has come to their aid, giving their crops and income levels a new lease on life. Image SourceAlso read: Jal Jeevan Mission: Maharashtra presents annual action plan for FY22 Also read: Jal Jeevan Mission: Govt releases central grant for 15 states