Man's resolve to recharge groundwater pays off

Dehradun: In May, Dwarika Prasad Semwal started going door to door in Chamkot village in Uttarakhand, convincing people to dig pits near their homes to store rainwater.

Seven months on, his perseverance has paid off.

A total of 3,500 water bodies have come up over an area of 3 sqm in the village as a result of Semwal's persistent efforts.

However, involving people in the campaign called 'Kal Ke Liye Jal' (Water for tomorrow) was not easy.

"They seemed attentive as I urged them to make a small but significant contribution to save water, recharge the receding water table underground and offer birds and animals a means to quench thirst by digging ponds.

"But the response initially was rather lukewarm. It got me thinking what I could do to lure them to the campaign in larger numbers," said Semwal, who also heads the Himalayan Paryavaran Jadibooti Agro Sansthan.

Soon an idea dawned upon him. Semwal began asking people to dig water bodies in memory of a near and dear one or to mark an important occasion in the family like a marriage anniversary or a birthday.