Water for All - Making a Reality

Peoples Efforts in Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu

Water and Status
Water is elixir of life; fundamental ingredient of life in the planet. Water itself is a source of food for
living creatures and also prime ingredient for food production by the living organisms. Water is a
source of input for growth, a tool for development, a place for civilization, a land for cultural
nourishment and a habitation for flora and fauna. Water is life; it is a source of sacredness. Water the Universal asset is being fast depleted. The demand for fresh water for drinking and domestic
purposes, water for food production and waste disposal are all increasingly threatened. Pollution
contaminates available scarce supplies. Water Resource Experts have been warning that the world is
heading towards a water shock which may dwarf the oil crisis.
In India, the shortage of water and the increasing pollution of water has acquired the proportion of a
crisis for our people, and most of all, for the poorest of the poor. Nowadays, bottled water as
expensive as milk is available in the nook and corner of the country, becoming a booming industry as
the rich try to protect themselves from the ravages of the environment.
Tamil Nadu, a southern state of Indian sub-continent, well known for its age old water management
techniques has now suffered a lot to supply water to the growing demand. A sacredness and
scarceness of water resource and used as wisely as possible and safeguarded it against harm. Over
exploitation of ground water, ground water pollution etc. are worsening now and a big question mark
remains how to meet the future demand. Fresh water is becoming a saleable commodity in many
parts of the state including cities.
Ramanathapuram District
Ramanathapuram district is one of the such water starved districts in the state. An average tamizhan
living outside Ramanathapuram district always think that the district is a cursed one. The government
officials considered their service period in the district as punishment in their lifetime. Water is a scarce
as well as a saleable good in the district.
It is one of the coastal districts of the state located in the south eastern part of Tamil Nadu. It has an
area of 1,218 sq.km. The landscape is almost plain having the slope of less than 2%. It has seven
Taluks and eleven Panchayat unions. Among the 11 Panchayat unions, Kamudhi, Kadaladi and
Mudukulathur unions are highly susceptible to the water scarcity. Low infrastructural facilities,
marginality of agricultural land holdings, saline nature of ground water, frequent chronic drought and
flood, economical backwardness, migration, high rate of illiteracy, communal riots are the common
characteristics of the district.
It has tropical climate and receiving an annual average rainfall of 827 mm in 48 rainy days. Rainfall is
bimodal and erratic in nature. More than 65% of the annual rainfall is received during the north-east
monsoon period.
There is no perennial river of importance to supply water. The wild rivers which carry water for a few
days or hours after the downpour are connected to the tanks and ooranis and they are emptied on
their way to sea. Hard clayey soil constitutes about 46% of the total soil distribution. It is derived from
the Archean genesses where calcareous formations are abundant. The hard clayey nature of soil

morphology restrict the availability of the deep seated fresh water acquifers. Geomorphological
characteristics of the soil itself causes salinity. Sea water intrusion also causes rapid upward
movement of salinity. These factors restrict the ground water development in the vast tracts of the
district. Rain water harvesting seems to be a more realistic alternative to solve the problems than any
other methods.
Water and Tradition
The historical civilization have mostly flourished on the banks of perennial rivers and their glory is
identified with the water. But in Ramanathapuram district, people have created a history of more than
2,000 years old without any river of importance flowing on their landscape but they cherished their
culture by creating water on their own. The Aryan epics of Ramayana has many poems to narrate the
glory of this water starved country.
The great people of Ramanathapuram have identified Kanmois and Ooranis as their source of water
to make their history of habitations. Kanmois are called as tanks, they are earthern bunded reservoirs
constructed across the slope. These Kanmois are constructed before a period of centuries and is still
the main stay of agriculture in the district. Ooranis are called as ponds. These are the earthern
reservoirs bounded by earthern bunds along the sides and receive water from the monsoonal runoff
and stored for the whole year. These are the main sources of drinking water for more than a million
people in the district. These traditional resources are simple, apposite, effective and manageable by
the community. They provide better solution to the community to meet the diversified needs of water.
Ooranis - Traditional Drinking Water Ponds
Dont live where there is no pond says a tamil proverb. The ponds are called by different
names like ooranis, kulams, eris etc. in different parts of the state. These are the surface
storage system meant for rain water harvesting bounded by earthern bunds having inlet
provision for getting water from its own catchment and/ or interlinked to other systems like
irrigation tanks, feeder channels etc.
Thirukkural, a great tamil literature says Pond with full of water in the middle of the village is an
asset to the people like a wealthy man who is always helping others. It offers religious sanctity
and is a source of sacredness.
Donating land to form ponds or assisting pond formation are regarded as one of the great
virtues. The people treated the nature of work with religious sanctity. Most of the oorani lands
were donated to temples and in Gods name. One can see temples, in pond bunds or in nearby
areas. The maintenance and management were vested with the village assemblies. Every year
during the celebration of temple function, they have done maintenance works through
Kudimaramathu, a process where each family contribute free labour to do the common work
during ancient time. The regular maintenance executed were deepening work, feeder channel
clearance, filling of ooranis during the monsoon periods, enforcing a code of conduct and
ensuring equity supply during the scarce period. An elaborate social system had helped the
local people to keep the ponds in good order.
Villages have separate ponds for drinking, domestic and for livestock. The ponds are of
different types. They are the simple ponds are earthern bunded and dont have any masonry
structures and fencing arrangements. The rainwater collected into the pond is directly taken for
drinking purpose. The second type is ponds with steps, sluice and fencing arrangements. Here
steps are provided through which people get into the pond and take water. Sluice is provided
through which rain water flows into the ponds. A shutter provision is also made to regulate the

rainwater entry into the pond. Fencing is provided to arrest the livestock entry into the pond.
The third type is sophisticated ponds with filter well mechanism. This is a pucca structured
pond, bunds are stone pitched or masonry wall constructed on all the sides of the ponds to
avoid siltation. A filter well is provided to get clean water.
Monsoonal runoff stored in the pond may not be pure. People followed simple traditional water
purifying methods to treat the water. Thethankottai is one of the local tree seed which is mainly
used for purifying water. The seed is rubbed with the inner side of the vessel, after that water is
poured in the vessel. After settlement of the sediments at the bottom of the vessel, the water is
used for drinking purpose.
Scratching stones are found in a few places which are roasted by fire, then the roasted stones
are taken and stored. If the roasted stones are added into the pond water that have been taken
in the pot, the water gets purified.
When a glass of salt water is added into the pond water, the pond water gets purified. This
practice is also being followed in some places.
Our expert engineers using various methods of topographical surveys to identify places to construct
tanks and ponds. The advanced technology of today find it very difficult to construct new tanks and
ooranis. But the ancient people of Ramanathapuram with their vision and hard work have changed
their landscape and miles and miles of earthern bunds are constructed to store the runoff. They not
only formed the structures and these structures are connected by chains of canals and diversions.
These are noble works and express native engineering talents. They have stood for hundreds of
years. From these structures, the modern engineers learnt how to secure a foundation in loose sand
of unmeasured depth.
Each and every village in Ramanathapuram district has tanks and ooranis. The area of the ooranis
are extending from 1 ha. to 3 ha. which were mostly donated by the chieftains and individuals. By
adopting the technology of digging earth and the collective efforts of the public, these lands were
converted to ooranis. The villagers evolved norms for regular maintenance and upkeep. They ensured
during monsoon period, that the oorani get filled with water. Even after the end of the monsoon, the
villagers used to divert the tank water to fill the oorani either through gravity flow or through pumping.
Priority is given for filling the oorani rather than irrigating crops. They also ensured the optimum
storage in the oorani in order to meet the demand during the summer months. In short the villagers
themselves were responsible to meet the water demand on their own.
Social Fencing
Sustenance of traditional drinking water ponds depends on the social system. The social
system with great corpus of knowledge, techniques and norms evolved over generations which
have wide spread influence on water harvesting, ooranis maintenance and management in
order to ensure the sustenance. An elaborate social system of water bodies maintenance was
backed up by strong religious traditions and sanctions in order to maintain the performance of
the resource. Each individual are imbibing the norms and they have no second thought about it.
In Ramanathapuram district, it is existing as follows:
Monsoonal runoff is the only source of water for oorani. The people diverted monsoon runoff
effectively to fill the oorani. In order to ensure the quality, they wont allow the first rain water
which normally carries more wastes. During heavy flood period, they fill the oorani to the
optimum level.

In most of the cases, ooranis are interconnected with irrigation tanks. During the end of the
monsoon period, they used to divert the tank water to the ooranis either by gravity flow or by
pumping. Even the riparian rights of water is vested with the ayacutdars. They give the most
priority to fill the oorani rather than irrigating agriculture. Some times, particularly during scarce
period, when for want of one irrigation, the crops get failure at that juncture conflicts arises
among the users in sharing of water for agriculture and oorani. As per riparian rights, the court
of law supports to ayacutdars while the village assemblies give first priority to fill the oorani.
Every year people spend Rs.5,000 - 10,000 to pump water to the oorani apart from other
maintenance works. In a few places, even after filling the oorani the tank water is not allowed
for irrigation and they reserved it for other domestic purposes. The people used the summer
rains to the best possible. They ensure 2 - 3 fillings in a oorani in a year and thereby the
system performance is assured.
The local people established a code of conduct which is of self regulative in nature in order to
preserve the pristine quality. They dont take bath; they dont allow cattle for drink; they dont
enter with chappals / slipper and cleaning of vessels/ utensils inside the oorani is prohibited.
Even women during mensural period are not allowed to enter into the oorani. At that time,
women stand outside the oorani and someone get water to them.
These elaborate social system packed up with sanctity helped the people to ensure the system
to perform well.
Government Efforts
During 70s and 80s, Government has provided efforts to alleviate the water scarcity. Initially they
dont recognise the ooranis as a source for drinking water. They have provided wells, hand pumps
and deep borewells in each villages. Due to the lack of adequate good water acquifers, the efforts
were failed in many villages of the district. Without considering the ground water availability and its
status, the departments implemented the similar efforts in many villages. It resulted more than one
hand pumps, overhead tanks, public stand posts, underground pipelines, deep borewells etc. and
were idle for a longer period. In a few cases, the stand posts and pipes have never seen water even
from its inception.
During the late 80s, government tried several alternatives and experimented a few ideas. They took
efforts to supply water through implementing desalinisation of ground water schemes. On an
experimental basis it was implemented in a few selected villages. Technocentric nature of the system,
centralised bureaucratic management, lack of infrastructure and lack of maintenance had affected the
performance level of units and most of them are now functioning below potential and it will reduce the
life of the unit.
During the same period, government has implemented Combined Water Supply Schemes (CWSS) in
which good water acquifer are identified and water pumped through deep giant borewells and
supplied to many villages which are interconnected through pipelines. This scheme was
comparatively successful in serving the purpose and more than 30 combined water supply schemes
are functioning in the district. The schemes are facing high administrative losses which are
unaccountable in nature. The exploitation of scarce good water acquifer causes negative impact on
the resource base. It also affects the sustenance of the resource to supply water.

Drinking Water Programme in Ramanathapuram District

Hand pumps and
Individual Power
Pump Scheme

Combined
Water Supply
Scheme

Oorani
Rehabilitation
Scheme

Desalinisation
Plant Scheme

Source

Ground water

Ground water

Ground water

Surface water

Cost of
supply

Low

High

High

Very low

Cost of
maintenance

High

High

Very high

Nil

Maintained
by

Panchayat, TWAD
Board

TWAD Board

TWAD Board

People

Uncertainty in
supply

Low

Very high

High

Very low

Administrativ
e losses that
can be
prevented

Low

Very high

High

Nil

Other
problems

Ground water
salinity restrict the
usage

High
exploitation

Quality

Operates
below
potential

High rates of
evaporation

delay and
high
uncertainty

Scope

No scope

No scope within
the district

Operates
below
potential

High cost

Negative
impact on ecosystem

No need

More than 2000

ooranis are existing.
Revival of all of
them provides water
supply, ground
water recharge &
make other scheme
to serve its purpose
by meeting other
demands of water

In all the cases, many times the statistics assumed that systems were constructed, remain in good
working condition and it is supplying water as per design. But in reality this is not true. Minor repair
works are postponed until the system is on the stage of breakdown at that time a massive investment
is needed to revive the system. Allocation and Use of water is being a contentious and often an
emotional issue, it receives political attention and it is usually easier to obtain funds for building new
supply systems which is politically highly visible than for repairing an existing systems.
Problems due to Water Scarcity in Ramanathapuram District
An Emotional Issue
Water is a source of life; one can live without food for a few days but cant live without water.
Water is an emotional issue particularly during scarce period. Fetching water is considered
mostly as womens business. The competition for the limited resource will aggravate the
tension among the public and cause conflicts among the users. Quarrel at public standposts

and wells are very common during the summer months. The small issue will become a clash
among the people in the villages. Eventhough each communities are having their own source of
water, if the resource gets dried, they went to others, then it creates tension and there are
cases where these situations lead to communal riots, intervillage conflicts etc. Being a source
of an emotional issue, it ends up with group clash and even murder.
Wastage of Energy
Normally women wait in long queue for a longer periods to get one or two pots of water. Even
during the nights, they are waiting in queues to get water. Otherwise they walk more than 3 km
to fetch water. They spend more than 50% of their time to fetch water. They face uncertainties,
hardship, emotional feelings and tension. These affect their health. In most of the places,
women are taking water as head loads and walk many kilometers. This cause backpain to
them. Harmony of the family gets affected; water scarcity creates unhygienic condition; health
hazards. Women and children are most vulnerable to this problem.
Cost of Water
The opportunity cost for waiting in queue to fetch water or walk miles to bring water is very
high. In many cases water markets are prevailing in which the vendors supply water for cash.
The rate varies from Rs.2 per pot to Rs.8 per pot. They supply water through bullock cart
tankers, tractor tankers. In a few places, people go by bus to get water. Poor people are
suffered a lot as they cant afford either.
Over exploitation of limited resource
Scarcity leads over exploitation of available scarce resource and thereby cost of supplying
water gets increased and sustainability of the resource gets reduced. Because of multiplier
effect the problem gets aggravated. Prevailing water market during scarcity period leads over
exploitation of limited resource.
A factor for Anti-development in the village
Villagers in Ramanathapuram district says drinking water scarcity is a real famine. If water is
available, one or two family members alone migrate to other district for want of employment. If
there is no drinking water even in nearby villages then the whole family would migrate, the cost
of living will be very high in that case. Water scarcity cause migration and it reduces livestock
population in the villages.
Pressure on Government
During every summer months, blocking of roads by the women with respective villagers and
demanding water supply is a common phenomena in Ramanathapuram district. Institutional
response to the pressure forces the government to invest a huge amount to supply water by
various ways. It also involves a high administrative losses and malpractices. By these, the
public money has spent without finding a permanent solutions to the problem.

Building on Tradition
Over the decades, people were taking efforts to eradicate the water scarcity problem. Wherever the
villages having their own local administrative system and wherever the villages have preserved their
unity and collective action for common cause have demanded the government to provide drinking
water and simultaneously found ooranis as their source of water and rehabilitated on their own. In a
few cases, they collaborate with the government and done the work. The government has made
several surveys and studies under ONGC, Technology Mission to provide potable water to the people.
Studies revealed that salinity nature of the ground water restrict the usage and suggested that rain
water harvesting is the best solution to provide potable water. Based on the facts, the district
administration has implementing Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission Scheme in the district
to rehabilitate traditional drinking water ponds in 1980 onwards. Unlike other schemes like
Desalinisation plant scheme and combined water supply scheme, this scheme is failed due to lack of
the political and bureaucratic interest for implementation and so far the progress was very slow.
People Centred Planning in Rehabilitation of Drinking Water Ooranis in
Ramanathapuram District
During earlier decades, the traditional water bodies were formed, maintained and managed
by the local communities. Principal role of managing traditional water harvesting systems
was that of the local communities. An elaborate social system of water harvesting and
water management was packed up by strong religious traditions and sanctions in order to
safeguard the water bodies.
Today many villages are divided along the lines of class and caste. The present need is not
on community participation but on community governance. This implies not merely the
social management of a water harvesting structure handed over by the state but the
involvement of the community in both its planning and implementation. Once community
participates the government indirectly build the peoples stake in maintenance of drinking
water ponds by themselves and reduce their dependency on government.
People Centred planning and implementation are very essential in rehabilitation of drinking
water ooranis for following purposes:
To build stake holder ownership on the resource; it ensures sustenance of the resource
through their regular maintenance and management of ooranis. It make individual as more
responsible to conserve water by way of establishing a new management regimes. It helps
in prioritizing the items of rehabilitation works based on importance and relevance to the
local context.
It helps to mobilise minimum 20% of contribution from the public. It setup process to
mobilise contribution from each household irrespective of anything, either equally or based
on the economic status in cash or work without remuneration. It defines the way of
implementation. Being a common property, it resolves conflicts or vested interests arises
during planning and work implementation stages. It evolves public consensus in future
maintenance and management.
The following process steps are involved in the rehabilitation work

Formation of Tank Farmers Associations - Villagers are organised together to form

a Tank Farmers Association with the prime objective of rehabilitating their tanks and
ooranis. Written down byelaws are evolved with members consensus.

Opening of joint bank account - Among the executive committee, three persons will
be operating the bank account in the near by commercial bank in the name of the
association.

Participatory process of planning - Based on priorities of work to be included, the

estimates are prepared. Ways of mobilising peoples contribution, work plan,
implementation schedule are finalised in the association meetings.

Contribution Mobilisation - The association will evolve members consensus in

mobilising contribution from individuals. It will be mobilised either through cash or
through voluntary labour.

Work Implementation and Completion - The work will be executed by the executive
committee of the association. Based on type of works, the executive committee share
its responsibilities among the members and different sub-committees like purchase
committee, supervising committee, measurement committee and fund management
committee are formed. These committees will supervise the work and they will be
responsible for maintaining the quality of work and completion as per the time
schedule. After the completion of work proposed in the estimate, a complete
measurement statement will be prepared and it placed before the association for
approval and it will be kept for records.

Keeping of accounts - Separate set of books such as cash book, ledger and voucher
will be maintained in each association apart from muster rolls, beneficiaries list,
estimates etc.

Endowment creation - Endowment fund is created for ensuring future maintenance

and also for institutional sustainability. The association mobilised corpus fund for this
and it will be matched with equal grants given by government agencies, philanthropic
institutions.

The components of oorani rehabilitation programme are as follows:

1. Establishment of peoples organisations to execute the work, mobilise the contribution
from the inhabitants and other beneficiaries.
2. Desilting of ooranis to avail a maximum storage.
3. Provision for inlet with shutter arrangement to draw clean runoff from the catchment to
avail maximum storage.
4. Provision for steps to provide safe and easy access to fetch water.
5. Provision for fencing all around combined with establishing a new code of conduct to
preserve the water from pollution.
6. Provision of draw wells for fetching clean water without suspended materials and
solids.
7. Endowment fund generation and planning for village developmental activities through
the peoples organisations.
DHAN (Development of Humane Action) Foundation has started its Tankfed Agriculture Development
Programme in the water starved district in 1993 - 94 with the short-term objective of people
participatory tank rehabilitation, medium term objective of stabilised tankfed agriculture and the longterm objective of regeneration of local management in tank irrigation systems. In collaboration with the

Ramanathapuram District Development Agency, the program has organised the villages and Tank
Farmers Associations are formed through their participation, the programme got implemented. During
the coarse of tank rehabilitation, in a few TFAs people had shown interest to rehabilitate their oorani in
order to ensure the availability of the water around the year. The implementation work established a
new management regime in ooranis in order to maximise the performance level of the resource.
The approach has established peoples organisations to execute the work, mobilised the contribution
from the people. The contribution was mobilised either through labour or through cash. The peoples
organisation has contributed 25 - 50% of total work cost as their contribution. The remaining amount
is mobilised from government agencies.
CASE STUDY

Peoples Efforts in Puseri Village of Ramanathapuram District, Tamil Nadu

Background
Puseri, a village 18 km far away from Mudukulathur which is one of the drought prone blocks of
Ramanathapuram district, is located on the way to Ramanathapuram. More than 250 families with
1,100 population are dwelling in the village. They belong to 10 communities, of which Yadav and
Servai, are predominant and are equal in number. 50 families are belonging to Scheduled Caste
communities.
The village is having one irrigation tank and five ooranis, one oorani is used for drinking purpose and
the remaining ooranis are used for domestic purposes. Peoples settlements are located nearby
tanks. They used tank water for bathing and other purposes. Groundwater salinity restrict the usage,
the people depends on ooranis and tank to meet their water need.
Self Initiative
During 70s, the people were depending on ooranis as their source of drinking water. They
themselves constructed open wells in ooranis in order to get clean water through natural filtration.
Sooner the ooranis are emptied, the wells also get dried. During monsoon period, they collect
rainwater on their own in the vessels and utensils, stored it for usage. They meet about 60 days water
demand by this rainwater harvesting in a year. The ooranis supply water for about 7 months. The
villagers starve for water for the remaining 3 months. During this scarce period, they used to go for
very long distance to fetch water from ephemeral springs. The Government also supplies water
through tanker lorries.
Government Efforts
Every year water demand is increasing with growing population and improved standard of living. In
the early 80s, the villagers revived their local village assembly which is the informal governing body
remained as defunct for a very long period of time. The village assembly gives priority to the drinking
water, they have approached the government and have succeeded to get borewell schemes to their
village. Hand pumps, deep borewells with pump room, pipeline, public stand posts were provided.
Unfortunately none of them served the purpose.

Puseri Village Assembly

It has 21 members headed by village president. Based on age, experience, interest level in common
work, track record each community select their representatives to the village assembly. The village
assembly has 3 committees and each committee is headed by a committee president. These
committees are responsible for accounts, conflict resolution and village development work. Each
committee has eligible to setup sub committees to carryout the task. At any time the committee
members are accountable to their task.
Committees of the Assembly
Finance Committee
Collecting
fund

common

Judgement Committee

Work Committee

Solving disputes

Execute common work which are

decided by the assembly.

Maintaining accounts

Solving inter-caste conflicts

Their regular works are

Collecting fine

Helping nearby villagers in

solving their conflicts

i)

Drinking water supply

It has power to levy fine

ii)

Protecting common resources

like prosopis, fish etc.

Its decision is final

iii)

Protecting common lands from

encroachment

Mobilising
resources

other

Financial Sources

Individual contribution

Penalty

Sale of fish

Auctioning of trees in common lands

Structure of the Assembly

Village People
Assembly Members
Secretary, Treasurer
President/
Vice President

Simultaneously they have decided to upkeep their tanks and ooranis. Every year they have done
common works like eradication of Ipomea cornea weeds spread over in the tank bed, cleaning of
feeder channel to oorani, ensuring more than one filling by diverting tank water to the oorani and
bringing member consensus to reserve the tank water for bathing and other purposes. Eventhough
they manage the demand by effective management, water scarcity during summer months is
inevitable.
Short term Remedy
Frequently they approach the government and by their constant efforts they got Drinking Water
Supply through Desalination of Ground Water Scheme to the village. The scheme was designed to
produce 30 cu.m. pure water to supply for three villages i.e., Puseri, Kadambodai and Thaliyarendal.
Borewell was erected and plant was constructed in Puseri. About 5 Km underground pipeline was
installed to interconnect the three villages. Overhead tanks, public stand posts were provided to
supply water. The TWAD (Tamil Nadu Water and Drainage) Board in collaboration with TEAM
(Titanium Equipment and Anode Manufacturers Ltd.), Chennai had implemented the scheme. The
plant was inaugurated its operation in the middle 80s.
Due to several facts the plant was unable to function to its full potential. Villagers of Thaliyarendal and
Kadambodai recalled that they never get water even from its inception. In the earlier period of its
functioning, it supplied sufficient water to Puseri village. This new arrival had a setback on oorani
maintenance. The village assembly believed that this will be the permanent solution to the problem.
The assembly decided that the public stand posts provided by this scheme was not in a position to
supply water to all streets. They face difficulties in monitoring of supply. They have decided to provide
one public stand post with 5 tap connections in only one place. They spend money on their own and
constructed it. Till the early 90s, eventhough they face problems then and there, they are very much
happy about the performance of the plant in providing water to their village.
Seeking an Alternative
Over the years of its functioning, the plant faced frequent interruptions. The villagers did not give
much attention to maintain their ooranis. Even they didnt take care to fill the oorani it reduced the
performance of the oorani. The oorani gets dried up during summer. The villagers depend
desalination plant for all their needs. This lead to water scarcity during the middle of 90s. In 1996 97, the assembly again made efforts, contacted TWAD Board for repairing the plant and Block
Development Officer for supplying water through tankers. It was difficult to the assembly to get water.
In the early 97, the village assembly seriously discussed and sought a permanent solution to the
problem.
In the same period, DHAN Foundation a developmental organisation has entered the village to
implement with European Commission Funded People Participatory Tank Modernisation Programme
in the village. Several village meetings and discussions were held and a people organisation namely
Puseri Tank Farmers Association was formed. During the process most of the members expressed
the water scarcity problem in the village. They said oorani rehabilitation is a prime need to solve the
crisis.
Building on Tradition
At the same time the District Administration and the Ramanathapuram District Development Agency
have initiated the implementation of Rajiv Gandhi National Drinking Water Mission Scheme in

Mudukulathur block. The scheme aimed at assured and safe drinking water supply through the
rehabilitation of ooranis. It sought minimum 33% of total cost of rehabilitation as peoples contribution.
The association has decided to took up drinking water oorani rehabilitation programme under the
scheme.
The Tank Farmers Association (TFA) called its general body and also the village assembly leaders
discussed about the scheme. They have shown interest, asked the association to immediately
implement the scheme. It was decided to deepen the present oorani to 1 m depth. They estimated
that the cost of deepening was Rs.1.05 lakhs. As per the scheme guidelines, Rs.0.35 lakhs had to be
mobilised from the people as peoples contribution. They decided that instead of giving cash
contribution voluntary labour contribution will be more fruitful.
The method of work implementation was decided as follows: Out of 1 m depth people should deepen
0.3m and the remaining work could be done by engaging paid labour. The earth could be disposed off
the oorani to avoid further siltation. Whoever wanted oorani earth for drying yard construction, house
construction should provide tractor on their own cost to take the earth. Fencing, filter well construction
work will be initiated immediately after the earth work.
Peoples Contribution and Work Implementation
It was discussed to complete the contribution by way of village common work, the association faced
difficulties in mobilising voluntary labour and monitoring the progress. The task was handed over to
the individual communities and accordingly work was allotted. Each community must complete their
share of work. Each community allotted to a minimum work to each family to complete it. As per the
decision, each family must dig 5m x 4m x 0.3m size of pit and should dispose the earth. The work for
contribution was implemented and completed within 5 days. As per the measurement each family had
contributed Rs.80 - Rs.140 value of work as contribution towards oorani rehabilitation.
Then the remaining work was done through paid labour. Normally the government rate for earthwork
is less than the prevailing market rate. Labourers were demanded extra over the government rate.
This was discussed in the meetings and the labourers had agreed to work for Rs.250 for digging the
pit of 8m x 4m x 0.3m size. They appointed different committees to execute the work. A group of 4 - 6
labours together complete the work and based on measurement they got wage. Individual who
wanted the earth provides tractors on their own.
The earthwork was completed within two months to the tune of Rs.0.7 lakh. The Ramanathapuram
District Collector Mr. B. Anand, I.A.S., and other higher officials had visited and appreciated their
involvement in the work. Puseri oorani was declared as the best one under Rajiv Gandhi National
Drinking Water Mission Scheme in Ramanathapuram district. Fencing and filter well construction work
also given to the village assembly and completed within a month. Through the execution of all the
works the association have saved Rs.5,000. The work provided a space to discuss and to setup a
new management regime in order to ensure the performance.
Maintenance
During the last three years, they ensured minimum of two fillings in ooranis. The oorani get water from
the second sluice of Puseri tank. Before the sluices are opened for irrigation (may be in October) they
give priority to fill the oorani to the maximum storage level. The second filling may be during
December, at that time water storage in the tank may be available for one or two irrigation only. They
ensure maximum level of storage in the oorani before the last irrigation. Pumping is practiced to
ensure maximum storage. They spend Rs.8,000 - 10,000 to fill the oorani. The tank water in dead

storage is reserved for bathing and other purposes. In 1999 they have spent Rs.8,000 to clear the
sides of the bund and they have contributed Rs.12,000 value of work to repair 25m long feeder
channel from the tank.
Benefits accrued
Additional storage capacity created in the oorani helped the villagers to meet their drinking water
demand even during summer. After the oorani rehabilitation, the oorani never got dried. Cost of
water supply in oorani is 2 paise per litre whereas in desalinisation plant it is very high. People
mentions that now they dont bother about desalinisation plant, as they get easy access to the oorani
water. Our observations are also noticed that oorani provides easy access than desalinisation plant
where uncertainty, delay are unavoidable.
The work helped the villagers to establish a new code of conduct and thereby they ensure two fillings
per year with their own cost. Everything was discussed in the meetings, activities are transparent in
nature. It build a foundation for a people organisations in the village and it executed Puseri tank
modernisation work to the value of Rs.6.25 lakhs in collaboration with Public Works Department of the
state.
Quality of work and the approach had brought a good name from higher officials and nearby villages.
It act as a unifying force and motivated the villagers. The work provided employment opportunity to
the village people. The work had generated 1,560 mandays during the lean season of the year.
Members have taken unpaid responsibilities in mobilising labourers, supervising work etc. As per
measurement, people have contributed 33% of work cost. In addition to this they have disposed the
earth and their own cost. Nearly 2,000 tractor loads of earth was disposed which is a great task in
implementation. They have contributed Rs.0.5 lakh for transportation of earth thereby they have
contributed 50%.
The performance of the oorani got improved otherwise because of its common property nature in due
course, it goes as dysfunctional. In the last year, the desalinisation plant supplied water to the
Kadambodai village which is never happened from its inception. The oorani rehabilitation make Puseri
as self sufficient, the surplus water from the plant was supplied to Kadambodai. The oorani itself
supplies water to the nearby villages.
Current Issues
Willingness to pay: The association feels that enough water is available to meet the demand. In order
to conserve the water, the desalinisation plant water can be supplied to households through individual
connections. It will help the associations to carry out minor repair works on their own cost. They made
efforts for this, but the district administration and the TWAD Board were not permitting them to have
individual connection.
Efficiency of the Plant: Efficiency has been reduced drastically, functional interruption are now
frequent. There are three operators working in the plant who have been paid by the TWAD Board. But
the plant is unable to supply water for one village eventhough it is meant for three villages. The
government has to seriously study the performance level of the plants before going to implementing
new plants in the district.
Conservation of Ooranis: Puseri has five ooranis of which four are not in a position to hold water to its
maximum storage. If they get revived there wont be any shortage in the near future.

Impact
Assured water supply: Oorani system development can alleviate the water scarcity and the cost
when compared with the other source of water like desalinisation plant and combined water supply
schemes which are mostly undependable, very low wherever oorani works are completed. They have
never dried up during the last 4 years and it provide assured water throughout the year.
Sustainability: Oorani rehabilitation offer sustainability to the resource. It provides positive impact on
the environment by way of micro climate, ground water recharge and reducing the dependency on
external systems. The way of implementation has generated surplus amount which are corpus to the
peoples organisation to do the regular maintenance works. The approach also offer institutional
sustainability to manage the resource.
Members stake and responsibility: Members have taken unpaid responsibilities in organising the
villages mobilising the contribution and implementing the rehabilitation work. Wherever oorani
development works are executed, through the people participation, they have done regular
maintenance works. They ensure minimum 2 - 3 fillings and establish a new management regime to
preserve the water from pollution and wastages.
Reliability: The simple technology of digging and storing the rain water is followed which is the
primitive technology of local people. They themselves will safeguard the resource. They have
generated corpus fund for future repairs and maintenance. In some cases, through voluntary labour
contribution they are doing regular maintenance. It have reduced dependency on external systems to
fetch water which are of mostly undependable in nature.
Collective Action: The approach have helped the people to come together for common cause. It
provide space to think and act together in a sustainable way to alleviate the problem of water.
Because of togetherness, in most of the cases their age old problems were settled and new initiatives
were taking place.
Village Economy: The improved oorani became an asset for the village. The drinking water scarcity
is a real famine said the villages. Providing assured water is a relief for them. It helps the people
particularly women in reducing their hardship involved in fetching water. Otherwise they spent
minimum 50% of their time during summer to fetch water. The earth removed from the oorani has high
value and used for land reclamation, drying yard construction, building construction, street laying,
road formation, brick making, pot making purposes.
Revival of System: Ooranis are one of the common property resources suffered by free riding and
lack of ownership. These age old structures are in defunct stage or perform below potential level. The
work has revived the system and ensured to perform its potential level. Apart from providing assured
water supply it offers positive impact on the eco system. By this the defunct resources are revived to
function and made it to generate resources for its future upkeep.
Spread effect: The participatory approach provides pro-people, sustainable and replicable model of
oorani system development. It is a success model of drinking water programme in the district. It has
created awareness among the public to protect ooranis. Many villages are coming forward to develop
their ooranis. In a few cases, they have purchased their own lands to form new ooranis.

Learnings

Fresh water is finite and scarce resource, it should be treasured and guarded against harm. In
Ramanathapuram district there is no other way except ooranis to ensure sustainable, cost
effective, users friendly system of water supply.

Water for all can be ensured through oorani system development. Disparity in usage, delay
and uncertainty in supply, high administrative losses etc. can be completely eliminated.

People are willing to pay for water if they provided adequable and accessible water source.
The programme has potential to mobilise minimum of 20 - 40% of total cost as public
contribution.

Participatory approach will able to revitalise the age old institutions. They have provided
space to think and plan for common benefit through collective efforts. This will make the
individual as more responsible person to conserve the scarce resource. The approach will
initiate other village developmental activities, income generation activities, inter village conflict
resolution etc. These activities will ensure the maintenance and upkeep of the system
performance.

Local people are made responsible to meet their own need rather than externalising the
problems or depending on outside system for help. To bring conservation as peoples
movement it is

Needed to take the programme to the threshold level.

i. ex