पूर्व सैनिकों का देश निर्माण मन्च |
All India Ex Soldiers League |
VOICE OF INDIAN MILITARY VETERANS |
ENVIRONMENT, CLIMATE CHANGE AND BIODIVERSITY ‘A small visionary step ahead of world Climate Change Alarm” |
PANORAMA gives a map pictorial view of terrain transformation by three water bodies created by Sainiksangh across 50 hecs of arid and drought ridden region of Yamuna Ravines over a period from 1999 to 2014 (thumbnail image placed at their location). |
WATER AND ENVIRONMENT ‘Why strangely should we have focussed on water? Because of a poignant situation in a village where an old military widow begged that she be shot rather solicited for her vote in elections ; since there was no drinking water as village wells go dry during summers and her pleas go unheeded by all over the years ‘As conveyed to Maj Gen APS Chauhan on his visit to her village in 1996. Water and environment therefore became central to our activity. Learning by experimentation and taking risk since we had no knowhow in this field . Yet this impacts entire gamut of our objectives taken holistically. The survival and welfare of veterans / serving and their communities in remote areas and arid ravines the habitat of our communities. Water for drinking, cattle fodder, grazing fields, forests and fauna without which a rural habitat is incomplete. Water being most important in this structure without which building blocks of community well being such as health, hygiene, income generation and education are illusionary Unless these basics are met and conditions for depleting returns from agriculture not reversed, flight to cities from villages the granary of soldiering cannot be stemmed. Environment is closely linked to military activities and in many armies a General Staff subject (eg Soviet /Russian armies) since this is impacted by field exercises and war which are environment destructive. Measures such as post exercise tree planting, adopting areas for forestry and greening of military habitat management of field firing ranges are integral to peacetime activity to promote environment consciousness. Water being at core of looming crisis and key to food security, we experimented with rainwater harvesting since ravine terrain is ideally suited for such measures though irrigation authorities felt otherwise on account of soil being totally silt. Yet blocking gullies by check dams if successful could arrest monsoon run off and create seasonal water bodies to recharge subsoil water level. We pulled this off applying military engineering gutsiness but after a herculean effort against many odds technical, no resources nor organisation just commitment to community and sense for improvisation. Not to say having to face bureaucratic apathy bordering putting spanner in the works and rigid attitudes. Notwithstanding, the three villages we tackled are today assured of water security for times to come with subsoil level up by minimum 3 ft income generation enhanced with savings in preparing land for tilling, dead wells rejuvenated, soil cover restored, fallow land reclaimed, eco degradation reversed with transformation of terrain providing a carbon sink The first check dam in the region was completed 2003. We named these as Swasti series (Sanskrit for well being ) Swasti I , II &IV with run off into Yamuna R. Network of check dams of this nature in wastelands of ravines can usher great socio economic benefits for marginalised communities. By creating pasture land with return of milk cattle which have vanished in this once milk producing region, introducing horticulture and apiculture for which there s great scope and resuscitate fauna and flora for which this belt was once known. |
Above our FC Kalyan Singh on on way to Silayata in 2002 (Swasti I ) 16 kms from node. Today he has a m/c. |
Transformation of Terrain |
Note yellow flag on right and one beyond ( not too visible) marking centre line (CL) of check dam (Swasti IV location) across gully below. Shown as once open sheesham forest in 1902 military survery mps , today these ravines are shorn of any tree cver but for thorny Julyflora brushwood which has driven away all wild life. Contours are between 120 to 150 metres gullies, generally oriented east west. Misty winters with temperatures down to 2deg C summers hot 40deg C . Monsoon run off from 60-hectare catchments draining into Yamuna R. |
Glimpse of Activity at Swasti I location Village Silaiyata |
Below Left Maj Gen APS chauhan on visit to his field office under bamboo shade discussing details with task force leader Hav M ManSingh of Guards and N/Sub Mathura Singh of Rajputs (01.02.1998) |
Above Centre VP inspecting brick masonary core wall. Right core wall closed by bund on both sides. Below Impact Second Monsoon |
Special Mention By UNDP by Mail to Maj Gen APS Chauhan |
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