Pabal Water Project, 2023

The "Quench the Trench" project in Pabal Village aimed to address the water needs of the community by creating trenches for water storage and conservation. The project was initiated by TEAM, an emergency relief organization, after consultation with Mr. Anand Pusawale from the YASHADA Institute of the Government water conservation department.

To identify the village for the project, TEAM sought the assistance of Gramsevika Mrs. Shinde and social workers Mr. Bhave and Mr. Bhide. After visiting Pabal, the engineers studied the topography and observed that the streams from the hillocks were not being utilized effectively, flowing into the river instead. TEAM recognized the potential to provide the village with a perennial water supply for agricultural purposes, benefiting the 1264 members of Pabal.

Initial surveys for the trenches had been conducted by the Government of Maharashtra and the forest department in 1950-52. However, over the past 30 years, the trenches had filled with silt, sand, and dry leaves. Therefore, TEAM decided to desilt, widen, and deepen these trenches to restore their functionality.

The identified areas for constructing the trenches were determined based on the topography of Pabal. Natural trenches formed where streams flowed down the mountains, allowing for the construction of embankments to store and facilitate percolation of water into the ground. These efforts aimed to improve the water table and support farming while reducing soil erosion.

The project involved various activities, including the removal of shrubs, excavation, deepening, leveling, top dressing, creating embankments, and stone pitching. The selected areas had conducive soil conditions for water percolation. These trenches would help retain water during scanty rainfall, increase groundwater levels through filtration, and assist farmers in their soil and water conservation efforts.

The project included the creation of multiple trench locations referred to as lakes by the villagers. Notable trenches included the Pimpaldara Lake, consisting of two locations with a total capacity of 98 lakh litres, and Sangam Lake, a triangular-shaped lake with a capacity of 18.6 lakh litres. An earthen embankment and overflow spillway were built between the two Pimpaldara Lake locations.

Additionally, Bhorjute Lake had a capacity of 7 lakh litres, Mahakaleshwar Lake had a capacity of 18.5 lakh litres, Adiyogi Lake had a capacity of 12 lakh litres, and MatiNala Talav had a capacity of 7 lakh litres.

While the RO Plant in the village was not operational, TEAM committed to providing a new RO Plant at a cost of 1.4 lakhs. To support the project, TEAM raised 10 lakhs, with the total cost of constructing the trenches amounting to 8,85,000 rupees.

The project commenced on April 28 and is scheduled for completion on June 26, 2023. Once finished, the trenches will contribute to the long-term sustainability of water availability and positively impact the lives of the residents of Pabal Village.