Hiware Bazar is a small village located in the drought prone area of Watershed Development Programme

Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra. It is barely 17 km away from 1 The watershed development programme in Hiware Bazar executed through reshwant
Water scarcity
Ahmednagar city. Seventy years ago, during the British rule Hiware Watershed Development Trust and became successful because of coming together of all
Bazar village enjoyed peace, happiness and prosperity. As it is stakeholders including the people, NGOs, Gram Sabha Gram Panchayat and the State
surrounded by hillocks of Kukadya, Haranjai, Malinba, Pokhran and govemment it is a remarkable case in Water Conservation and Water Management
Chopal, during rainy season, the low land of the village had a very 2 The results which were achieved through the programme speak for them- selves as the water
good water table; and the wells used to be full of percolated water table in the village rose from 70-80 feet to 20 to 25 feet, suitable change in cropping pattern was
from all the surrounding slopes. The watershed development brought about (from jawar& bajra to onion, potato, horticulture etc.) and standard of living
programme in Hiware Bazar executed through Yeshwant Watershed
Poor health service improved considerably due to economic stability
Development Trust and became successful because of coming 3. The programme proved specifically beneficial for farmers who were able to build additional
together of all stakeholders including the people, NGOs, Gram Sabha, water storage structures.
Gram Panchayat and the State government. It is a remarkable case in 4. The resulting availability of good quality grass led to improved dairy farming and subsequent
VILLAGE MAP
point vis-à-vis Water Conservation and Water Management. increase in milk yield
6 Hiware Bazar began its watershed development
5. Hiware Bazar story is one of the few in India where reverse migration was observed and
program in 1992 with reforestation of their hilly forest
people who had left affected by impoverishment retuned
The History of Hiware Bazar land
6. The works which were undertaken in the programmed are as follows
• Hiware Bazar had run out of most of its natural asset – forests had been 7 villagers also built trenches along contours in the
a Construction of deep Continuous Contour Trenches (CCT)
cut, water source ran dry and land had become unproductive. hills to trap and slow rainwater
b Construction of percolation tanks
• The village faced an acute crisis and its traditional water storage 8 Along natural drainage lines, they built shallow
c Widening and deepening of drain beds
systems were in ruins.. dams of stone, cement or earth Once ground behind
d Construction of cement storage tanks
• With the lack of trees, the rainwater was not only wasted in floods of the dam walls s saturated, additional water remains
e Plantation for soil and water conservation
streams but the floods also took away the fertile layers of the topsoil. stored as surface water Due to watershed
This resulted in soil-erosion and droughts, which had definite adverse development measures, the groundwater table rose
effects on agriculture. and irrigated area increased
• The village was badly hit during the 1972 drought when all the wells of 9 On individual plots, farmers have leveled land and
the village became totally dry. constructed low earthen barn- errs along the
• The main source of income of the average farmer was no longer perimeter to avoid rainwater within the fields
profitable and they faced indebtedness and bankruptcy. 10 Wealthier farmers have dug plastic- ponds for
• In 1989-1990, only 12% of the land was cultivable, there was rampant additional surface water storage
poverty and the youth had no employment opportunities. 11 Later the village undertook the construction of 32
• The farmlands were converted to totally barren lands. Desperate people soil Nalla-bunds. Water flowing on the slopes during
sold their lands, houses and gold in order to indulge in their bad habits. rains was blocked by soil-bunds, at a lower level
• In addition, the village was also beset by social problems such as Water was also impounded through Gabian bunds
alcohol addiction and gambling. and cement bunds.
• Education was only till 4th standard that too only in a school of two 12 The Small irrigation Department constructed 2
rooms. Whoever wished to study high was required to go walking for 16 percolation tanks close to the village
kilometers. 13 During the rainy season, water is not allowed to
• The village was also lacking the basic facilities in primary education and drain off and the percolated water then positively
health and also families shifted their children to the cities affects the farmlands and village-wells.
NAME: RAVINA PATIL

HIWARE BAZAAR
PRANALI SAGARE CLASS : 5TH YEAR
NILAM SONAWANE DIV: ‘C’
KAJOL SANAS
SIGNATURE SURABHI ROKADE B.V.C.O.A.
Water auditing and watershed management – THE 5 YEAR PLAN
• Water harvesting and watershed management depends on rainfall received by the watershed and its lithology. The village prepared its own five-year plan for 1995-2000 for ecological regeneration The pian was the basis on which egs
• In village Hivre Bazar water harvesting and watershed management works are done after studying and was implemented It ensured that all departments implementing projects in the village had an integrated plan A) THE 1ST
• analyzing water budget of the village. FIVE YEAR PLAN (1990-1995)
• This budgeting was done under the technical guidance given by the District Groundwater Department.(G.S.D.A.) a) Education Watershed of Adarsha Gaon Yojana (AGY) The activities to meet these requirements were chaiked out Some
• Groundwater budgeting program was started in 2004 by people’s participationin this village. of the basic needs, which the gram Sabha agreed upon were
• By this innovative program total availability of water was calculated by measuring rainfall received by the village and a) Drinking water
regular monitoring of water level of six observation wells established in the watershed of the village. b) Fodder for cattle
• Collecting of rainfall and water level data is done by the villagers. c) Irrigation for agriculture purposes
• A budget of available water of the village was presented before gramsabha after monsoon season. d) Educational facilities
• After keeping drinking water and day today requirement of human beings and animals, Seventy percent of remaining e) Health-care facilities
water was used for irrigation purpose. f) Road facility in the village
• Management of this water was done by modifying area of cultivation and type of crop to be cultivated and such e) Electricity
resolution was passed ingramasabha.
B) THE 2ND FIVE YEAR PLAN
(1995-2000) Implementation of Adarsha Gaon Yojana (AGY) Continuation of Watershed management activities with support
from EGS it was a scheme to replicate the success of Ralegaon Siddhi, a village from Ahmednagar district Ralegaon Siddhi
had addressed its water scarcity issue by adhering to the following five principles
a) Voluntary labor (Shramdaan)
b) Ban on grazing (Charabandi)
c) Ban on tree cutting (Kurhad Bandi)
d) Ban on liquor (Nasha Bandi) After the phenomenal achievements of the consistent watershed activities the Gram
Panchayat recognized the need of planning for sustainability Therefore the next five years plan focused on the development
of strategies to maintain the water level and its use throughout the year

C) THE 3RD FIVE YEAR PLAN (2000-2005)

Bore well Blast Technique (BBT) – Focus on sustainable use of the regenerated wealth through water budgeting Hiware Bazar is now reaping economic
In 2006-07 after budget gram Sabha decided to implement “Bore well Blast Technique (BBT)”, an unconventional method harvests of water conservation Grass production went up from 100 metric tonnes in the year 2000 to 1,000 metric tones in
developed by Ground water Surveys and Development Agency ,Govt.of Maharashtra in the village to increase 2004 This resulted in increased milk production from a mere 150 liters per day during the mid-1990s to 2.200 litres oer dav in
groundwater storage and recharge, to improve strengthen source of drinking water exists along down stream side of 2007
watershed.
Geophysical study of village indicated that area above gaothan is favorable for BBT to interconnect the upper and lower
fractures to improve ground water storage aquifer system in the area.
About 103 bore wells of depth 5 to 18 meters were drilled by maintaining hydrostatic gradient in 1620 sq m of land.
These bore wells are charged by ammonium nitrate based explosives and
blasted to create artificial fractures and cracks in hard massive basalt formation.

Agriculture and dairy development

Floriculture

Vegetables

Oilseed
Production

Dairy Development

NAME: RAVINA PATIL

HIWARE BAZAAR
PRANALI SAGARE CLASS : 5TH YEAR
NILAM SONAWANE DIV: ‘C’
KAJOL SANAS
SIGNATURE SURABHI ROKADE B.V.C.O.A.