ABOUT-US

Ayyappa M Masagi
Bangalore,

* First Name     - Ayyappa    

* Last Name     - Masagi 

* Organization  - Water Literacy Foundation

* Country          - India

* Gender            - Male

* Email               - rainwatermasagi2000@yahoo.co.in

* Name of the local action -  Innovative idea for ground water recharging

   (In Kannada – Antharjala Abhivridhige hosa Avishkara)           

 Name and types of the implementing organisation(s).

1. Rural areas and farmers for agricultural purposes

2. Urban roof water harvesting for drinking and domestic purposes

3. Industries, corporate and Government departments

* Description and location of the problem and activity as implemented:

I was working in a leading industry and also took interest in agriculture and bought 6 acres of land in my hometown (Gajendragada, Gadag District, Karnataka, India), in the year 1994. Many including my wife and family members made fun of me.  There was not much water in the land and the bore wells. The agri outputs were not that profitable.  One day I was in the farm hut and it rained so much that my hut was flooded, waters in the land was gushing out. I was surprised and perplexed. When we all languish that no water in the bore well, so much water is getting wasted. I thought I should capture this water. Then started experimenting on my own around 1999 with various methods and adapting local knowledge. There was endless opposition from family. But in the next two years situation changed, quite a lot of water for agricultural purposes. The family members did not only accept the results, the success story reached wider masses through mass media. From 2001-4 the sever drought in south India had taught a great lesson to the government, and the people. The drought made people to start accepting my idea and experiments. 

The long drawn drought and also unchecked exploitation of the ground water by bore wells had left the aquifer dry resulting in low agriculture outputs leading to the suicides of thousands of farmers. The South Indian cities depending on River water for drinking purposes had the biggest blow-shortage of supply and also resulting in inter state conflicts and fights. All these are a direct result of giving importance to mega dams and either breaking or closing minor irrigation tanks (in Karnataka alone from 1947 to 2000 out 65,000 tanks 25,000 are either closed or encroached in the name of development). 

This let me to take water issues as a challenge and left my lucrative job and jumped in to a war for water equipped with my experiments. I started propagating that existing bore wells, which were considered as a curse as and when they were drying, as a boon to recharge the aquifer.  Yet again the rural masses, government and also the so called environmentalists opposed the idea of recharging bore wells by my own experiment, the allegations also said that I am only equipping the rich who can invest in the process. Yes, at times I have failed, some bore wells got silted, some aquifers never accepted the waters but overflowed, in some other cases rather recharging the treated bore wells, some other wells and bore wells in the area got abundant source of water! I was convinced that even if we capture 25% of the total rainfall, it is sufficient to cater the needs of the thirsty. 

I replicated my experiment of recharging open wells and bore wells by building bunds and constructing temporary tanks/ponds for percolating and feeding the aquifer.  The idea is now successfully implemented in Karnataka, Gujarath, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh with suitable adaptations in more than 36,000 locations.

Summary of qualifications: A diploma holder in Engineering, he has got a professional experience of 2 decades. Served in a senior position level at Larsen & Tubro company he has dedicated his  time working on the Complex issues of water issue in rural areas from past 1 Decade. Currently he has been conferred with Ashoka fellow-ship award for his commendable services at National level. He is the Executive secretary of Swaraj foundation a Non-Governmental Organisation based in Bangalore.

Skills:

•    Water Management -conservation and recharge techniques expert.

•    Rain water harvesting -Urban and Rural

•    Bore well recharge techniques

•    Organic agriculture

•    Ground water recharge techniques.

Achievements:

• Popular resource person for rain water harvesting and ground water. 

• Launching water literacy movement in hundreds of village in Karnataka.

• Has motivated more than hundreds of individuals to conserve the rainwater harvesting, borewell recharge and to practice Organic agriculture.

Publications of books and Papers:

"Nela-Jala-Jana" a book on organic farming and water harvesting methods, do it yourself  kits 

Numerous articles  and features published in Regional and State Level Dailies & Journals.

Award Received: 

Shrusti samman - National award, Indian Leader for tomorrow, Seva kousthuba, Samaja Rathna, Karnataka Rathna, Ramjadhav ,Sir M.V Vishweshwaraya, Loka nayak jayaprakash Narayana state award.

Title Confered: Doctor Of Dry Borewell, Vishweshwaraya of North Karnataka.

Life's Mission: Making karnataka a water literacy state; rejenuvate the ground water table, Campaign against a pollution, and advocate for a Eco-friendly policy. To practice and preach a Eco-friendly life. To gift a world with surplus fresh water for the N-Generation.