The Pondicherry region is situated about 185 Km south of Chennai with an area of about 293 Sq.Km.

The Government of Pondicherry has taken up the work of desilting of the existing ponds under the National Rural employment Guarantee program.
In the proposed project villages in total 5 ponds – 2 nos. in Madagadipet village and 3 nos. in Kalitheerthalkuppam village were recently desilted under this program. Out of the 5 ponds, in 2 ponds percolation recharge tubes have been installed by the State Groundwater Authority of the Department of Agriculture.

Though the ponds have been desilted for collecting and storing water therein for enabling recharge as well as providing drinking water to the cattle grazing in the round about localities, the banks have not been strengthened and kept prone to erosion and sand sliding by the water velocity. Therefore they are immediately in need of strengthening of the banks and also raising of some permanently growing trees on the peripheral bunds for their sustained existence and use to the communities. All these ponds are situated in Mannadipet commune on either side of National Highways running between Pondicherry to Villupuram (Tamilnadu).

The approach proposed to be adopted contemplate strengthening of the banks of the ponds by planting vetiver slips so that they can withstand erosion and sliding of loose soil in the normal course. Raising of tree plantations on the peripheral bunds is intended to provide further strengthening and also to enhance the storage capacity of the ponds besides providing shade and shelter to the birds and animals.

The plantation work will be taken up involving women SHGs during the North-east monsoon and thus watering the saplings will be required to a limited extent only.

The local women SHGs will be involved in taking care of the periodical maintenance of the Vetiver plantation by pruning and clipping and also by pot watering the tree saplings till they are well established.

Vetiver plantation work in farm ponds and fish cultivation ponds was introduced by Ekoventure in the adjoining district in our earlier project. The farmers have very well appreciated this work and informed that by planting Vetiver they could save INR 10000 which they would spend for annual desilting works.

The Vetiver plantation technology is well explained in the attached leaflet.

Yes in one phase.

In both the project villages Ekoventure is at present implementing “Solid Waste Management at household level” project involving 500 women SHG members. These women and the local Panchayat will be involved in the Vetiver plantation work.