Original and innovative ideas 

 To improve the economic conditions of the farmers in India I am helping them take charge of water resources. Propagating rainwater harvesting he is ensuring that all farmers understal1d the catchments area analysis of the rainwater. I convince farmers that if they have one (]unla kere(33fl x 33ft) -agri pond (lake) for every' hectare(2.5 acres) and one community lake for every 25 acres then we would be self sufficient in our water needs. I am also showing farmers how to ensure that all the rain that falls on their farms is collected and percolated into the ground.

 Using already existing bore wells I have found a way of percolating rainwater into the aquifer, by digging a lO X lO X  20 foot pit around the bore well, perforating the casing of the bore well, wrapping with a thin filter and filling with pebbles and sand ensure that purified water reaches the aquifer. Cement rings (4 ft. dia) around the treated bore well casement is also installed to prevent silting and also to increase the intake of the treated bore well. This unique method is patented with the Indian tradition knowledge by him This not only recharges the bore well but also recharges other bore well in the radius of 50 acres. I am designing and building model structures with community participation, with local material, which can be easily managed by the local people to collect and conserve rainwater.

 Armed with this experience I am working in a campaign mode to ensure that farmers become self sufficient in their water needs. Jala saksharatha anodolan -water literacy campaign is to demonstrate to farmers the collection, use and conservation of water. To ensure optimum utilization of water I am demonstrating low' water input crops, plastic mulching, planting cover crops to retain moisture in the soil etc. I am also promoting water conservation technique as drip irrigation, sprinkler, perforation tanks, etc. I help farmers make cost benefit analysis of using water. For example I demonstrate how in the traditional paddy cropping 12,500 liters of water is required to harvest one KG of Rice and if we use the method what I am propagating and practicing by using 800 liters (10% ) we can get an yield of three times more than the traditional method.

 The support is now coming in the form of government policies, corporate sectors using the opportunity to put up demonstration plots, social groups participating in people’s movements. The technology transfer is now a campaign, a common mans agenda and a government programme to reach the expected results. In the next five years with this kind of support and enthusiasm the problem of water scarcity will be history. For this every person from all walks of life are touched by the message of Masagi to conserve and care for every drop of water.

 *Costs involved

Investing in a non-tangible sector is always a risk. In the beginning I was shunned as I was investing money on my experiments by my own family members. The village community was observing me as a fool who is wasting all my savings in treating the bore wells and building tanks around the bore well and conversing my field into a temporary tanks and ponds. All these were untraditional (rather the forgotten local knowledge). I too agree that to begin with it was very cost intensive. Every experiment of mine had costed me a lot. But, the days of reaping the results and simplifying the methodology has brought down the cost to nothing.

Presently it is estimated that a total of Rs,.9 crores is invested by governments, individuals and groups including NGOs and corporates in harvesting rainwater. In my experience now, a household has to spend about Rs. 3 to 4 thousand to put up simple but efficient roof water harvesting structure. (A no cost water harvesting method is also in practice in rural areas, where in only the beneficiaries giving their time and labour is enough) . An irrigation bore well needs about Rs. 20,000. A community harvesting structure may cost about Rs.1,00,000/-. An industrial site may have to spend about Rs. 20,000,000/- to reach out 30 acres of land.

All these investments are not just a matter of rupee and pi. The results and the sustainability is what count at the end of the day (not just a day but years and decades to come).

The investments are always either by the beneficiary or a sponsor who insists on peoples participation and commitment for a long-term sustainable plan. As a result the investments are guaranteed and no loss is expected. With the government coming up with sustainable plans for the same idea has the backing of the budget and policies.

Presently people are forced to buy water at the cost of Rs.0.50  to 12 per liter.  This will only impoverish the already stressed Indian masses. With the investment to conserve and recharge the aquifer with the above mentioned cost the price of the water is not calculated in currency but by the attitude of the people. In my opinion with the investment of Rs.9 cores in the last five years in putting up structures to save water, about less than Rs.0.05 is spent on to get a liter of water in the first year which will have diminishing expenses in the very second year and within the next two years the cost will be nothing but getting back to the original form of taking water free of cost.