Former civil engineer's unique formula for reviving the dried out wells and water bodies of Rajasthan
Not speed, X-ray vision or super-strength - the superpower of this former civil engineer lies in his insight and the watery hopes he holds for many in the dry and dusty terrain of Rajasthan.
It was 15 years ago that Rajdeep Sharma chanced upon a formula to revive dried-up water bodies while heading the construction of a tunnel at Jindoli-ki-Ghati (valley of Jindoli), 16 kilometres from the city of Alwar.
Drained of their water, several step-wells and community ponds and wells in and around the Aravalli Hills have lain in neglect over the years with the water table in the area depleting to 400-500 feet.
This step-well near the Karnimata temple in the Aravalli region is among the several water bodies that former civil engineer Rajdeep Sharma has helped revive
As Sharma's team built the tunnel, water seeping from the hills often flooded the construction site giving rise to fears of an impending landslide.
Intrigued by the phenomenon, Sharma took to studying the flow of water through the veins that it had formed on the rocks over the years.
"It turned out to be a big find for me. Though very basic, it gave me an idea about how to revive the dried-up water reservoirs that abound in the region," Sharma recalled.
So, how exactly does the trick work?
"There is no major technique involved. One has to understand the basic rules regarding recharging water bodies. The surface and rainwater seepage, as also the underground streams, have to be connected to them through rock veins," he explained.
Rajdeep Sharma is confident that with government help and suppor from local communities he can revive every dry water body in the Rajasthan area
His expertise has proved to be a boon of sorts for villages in the area. Take for example Chandoli, where he helped revive a community well that had fallen into disuse, thanks to a lowering water table, and begun to be used as a garbage dump.
With the help of the villagers and some volunteers, Sharma took out the garbage and silt, and unblocked the veins of the rocks that earlier brought water to the well.
And lo and behold, all was swell again! He tasted success once again in 2002, the year he quit his government job, when he revived a small step-well near the Karnimata temple in the Aravalli region.
With the help of municipal officials, a few private groups and volunteers, Sharma successfully traced the source of water that had once catered to the step-well within 45 days and forged the connection again. A decade and more since, the step-well still provides water to the area's cattle.
Over the years, Sharma says, he has accomplished the revival of several water bodies, including the Krishna kund (pond) on Aravalli's foothills - a feat he achieved with active participation from locals, seven years ago.
And the proud former engineer is thirsting to go forward, counting on help from locals and the administration as catalysts for his efforts.
"If the locals and government agencies come forward, I can help them revive almost every dried-up water body in the area."
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