Pond Rejuvenation in Sundarbans: Mukti’s Blueprint for Sustainable Water Management

As per the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the shallow groundwater in the Sundarbans region is unsuitable for drinking. Although deep groundwater falls within the permissible limits for safe drinking water, its overall quality is poor. The Coastal Regulation Zone notification of 2011 has designated the Sundarbans region as a ‘Critically Vulnerable Coastal Area’ and has restricted the use of deep freshwater to drinking purposes only.

Access to safe and clean water is a significant development challenge in Sundarban. Many rural households lack access to clean water, leading to frequent outbreaks of waterborne diseases such as jaundice, diarrhea, and gastroenteritis. To achieve sustainable development and ensure safe drinking water for all, the revival and rejuvenation of existing ponds, along with rainwater harvesting, are viable solutions to address the region’s water crisis.

Mukti’s pond rejuvenation project aims to help the community members of Nagendrapur and Kankandighi GP by addressing their need for safe and clean water. This initiative involves rejuvenating old ponds and creating new ones to tackle irrigation-related issues, promote alternative cropping, solve water crises, improve health and hygiene, generate alternative livelihoods, and enhance the environment for the locals.

The Need for Rejuvenation

• The number of freshwater ponds is insufficient to meet the community’s water demand.
• Women walk 3-4 kilometers to collect water, spending most of their time on this task.
• During the dry season, pond water levels drop significantly, sometimes drying up completely.
• Coastal communities frequently suffer from waterborne diseases due to drinking unpurified pond water.
• Poor coastal communities lack facilities to reserve rainwater.
• Communities are unaware of proper health and sanitation practices, leading to frequent waterborne diseases.
• Financial constraints prevent communities from installing water purification systems.
• Ponds in Nagendrapur and Kankandighi GP are failing to maintain a healthy balance of aquatic life and support socioeconomic needs.
• Successive cyclones and floods have created risks for cultivation.
• Many people use groundwater for rice cultivation.
• Existing ponds, over 70 years old, have reduced depth and increased salinity.
• There is a major drinking water crisis, with many ponds dried and unusable.
• Both people and animals face extreme water vulnerability and a lack of potable water.

Benefits of Pond Rejuvenation

• Ecological Balance: Replacing paddy with other crops fixes nitrogen in the soil, increases soil fertility, and conserves water, including rainwater, which alleviates the drinking water shortage in the Sundarbans.
• Integrated Development: A well-managed pond can benefit households in numerous ways, contributing to water resource management, livelihood generation, improved health and hygiene, biodiversity conservation, social cohesion, and climate resilience.
• Water Resource Management: Ponds provide water for drinking, irrigation, livestock, and domestic use. Properly managed ponds ensure a consistent water supply year-round, helping farmers during dry spells and improving agricultural productivity.
• Livelihood Generation: Ponds support fish farming and activities like duck rearing, crab farming, and fodder cultivation, generating additional income and improving villagers’ economic well-being.
• Improved Health and Hygiene: Clean ponds reduce the risk of waterborne diseases and can be used for washing, bathing, and sanitation, promoting better hygiene.
• Biodiversity Conservation: Ponds create habitats for various flora and fauna, supporting biodiversity and ecological balance.
• Social Cohesion and Community Development: Ponds serve as common resources, fostering social cohesion and community development through recreational activities, cultural events, and community gatherings.
• Climate Resilience: Ponds help manage water resources and mitigate extreme weather impacts. They act as rainwater harvesting structures, storing excess rainwater during monsoons and releasing it during dry spells, aiding in flood control and groundwater recharge.

Mukti’s Efforts in Pond Rejuvenation

• Mukti is focused on the 3Rs: Repair, Renovation, and Restoration of water bodies in the proposed region. A total of 166 water bodies/ponds have been rejuvenated in 2023.
• Ponds, either rejuvenated or newly excavated, are designed to restore rainwater and revive the groundwater belt.
• Individuals with smaller ponds benefit from increased rainwater storage capacity, enabling them to utilize water for secondary crops such as paddy.
• Mukti conducts pre-studies and mapping, weed removal, and desilting of ponds, along with reconstructing existing ponds (staircase, embankment formation, main bund strengthening, surface leveling, etc.).
• The project aims to reduce paddy cultivation and restore water in ponds for household chores, bathing, and drinking water for cattle. Alternative rice cultivation can also be done with pond water. For example, 1 kg of paddy requires about 35,000 liters of water, and cultivating other vegetables can reduce costs and save water.
• For sustainability and better maintenance, the project includes a provision for community-managed maintenance and monitoring of the pond system, supported by the Self-Help Group (SHG) wing of MUKTI under the Mukti Community Development Fund (MCDF). SHG women are responsible for the long-term maintenance and monitoring of renovated and constructed ponds.

By addressing these critical needs, Mukti’s pond rejuvenation project aims to create a sustainable, healthy, and prosperous future for the Sundarbans communities.

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