Hans News Service Haliyal

Threewater bodies in Haliyal taluk have undergone rejuvenation under Project NANNEER, a water stewardship initiative of the AMM Foundation, increasing their combined storage capacity and improving prospects for groundwater recharge and irrigation.

The project covered Kumbarekare Lake in Thergaon village, Alloli Pond and Hanumantha Pond in Haliyal village. The work involved desilting, deepening and strengthening of the water bodies to improve water retention and recharge.

Haliyal receives more than 1,500 mm of rainfall during the southwest monsoon, but much of the water is lost as runoff because of limited percolation. The restored water bodies are intended to retain more monsoon water and improve availability during the summer.

Kumbarekare Lake, spread over 54.5 acres, has seen its storage capacity increase from 352,002 cubic metres to 655,452 cubic metres. The restoration is expected to benefit about 243 families in Thergaon by improving groundwater recharge and irrigation availability.

The capacity of Alloli Pond has increased from 27,280 cubic metres to 87,296 cubic metres, while Hanumantha Pond’s capacity has risen from 10,115 cubic metres to 24,276 cubic metres. Together, the two ponds are expected to benefit more than 370 families. The restoration is also aimed at reducing water stagnation and flooding during heavy monsoon spells, besides supporting agriculture and improving groundwater availability.

Muthu Murugappan, CEO of EID Parry India Ltd and chair of Project NANNEER, said water security begins at the community level and that restoring local water bodies could support agriculture and strengthen rural resilience.

Farmers and local panchayat representatives said the increased storage would improve access to irrigation water during the summer months. They also said the restored ponds would support crops, including sugarcane, and improve water availability for daily needs.