The Art of Living JalTara: A Scientific, Systematic & Scalable Solution to Tackle the Groundwater Crisis in India

BENGALURU, India, May 11, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- India is suffering from a dire water crisis, especially in the rural areas. Being an agriculture-dominant economy, most of the rural population relies on water for irrigation and the growth of crops. Groundwater levels are in a critical state globally. India accounts for 25% of the global groundwater extraction. Statistics indicate that 256 districts across India have critical or over-exploited groundwater levels. Rainwater provides barely for agricultural needs as most of it runs off to the ocean. Depletion in groundwater level has made it difficult for farmers to meet their regular water requirements. Agriculture suffers much because of the decreased groundwater levels. Villagers also have to traverse long distances to get water for their domestic needs due to decrease in water levels in the wells. Water scarcity in India has adversely affected the rural economy and villagers' livelihood. 'The Art of Living JalTara', initiated in 2021, emerged as a systematic solution to this problem. JalTara is a scalable approach that enables rainwater to bypass dense, impervious topsoil and recharge underground water.

JalTara - strong approach to eradicate the water crisis

JalTara follows a stepwise procedure to attain its goal of improved groundwater levels. The multi-pronged approach consists of extensive community mobilization and capacity building, construction of groundwater recharge structures and afforestation. A team of experts including geologists utilizes GIS technologies and detailed surveys to form a technically accurate action plan. 

The JalTara process is a six-month process, which includes the following: 

• One month of JalTara sevaks training
• Three months of farmer mobilization
• Two months of digging/rock filling

Monitoring and tracking the water levels and plantation of trees are part of the process of JalTara execution. 

The 'One Recharge Structure Per Acre' approach provides a standardized, straightforward way that enables JalTara to achieve massive scale at rapid speed and comparatively low cost. The initiative looks at recharging approximately 300,000 litres of water per recharge structure, with an average of 500 structures per village. 

The need for JalTara intervention

The Art of Living JalTara is one of the country's most scalable water conservation project ideas, and it follows a systematic process of training and monitoring to tackle water scarcity. Its scalable approach enables rainwater to bypass dense, impervious topsoil and recharge underground water. Simple in its implementation, JalTara involves the farmers at the root of its execution, making it effective immediately from the upcoming rains and fruitful in the long run. Once the farmers are familiar with the process, its scientific roots and benefits, it becomes easier for them to cooperate in implementing it on their farm. JalTara trains Jal Sevaks and farmers to execute the process smoothly and to make it successful. According to reports, 78% of the monsoon rainwater flows into the oceans, with only 6% stored yearly. While rainwater during monsoons meets 20% of the water demand, the remaining 80% depends on groundwater, which sees 239 trillion litres of groundwater extracted annually.

JalTara: showing a significant impact on the groundwater levels

Rural India sees an extensive demand for groundwater for its agricultural usage. JalTara, as a project, has worked wonders for groundwater replenishment, focusing on a scalable model of rainwater harvesting in India. With a rise in water levels already in the implemented areas, the initiation of JalTara has ensured that the agricultural practices in rural India have picked up pace. Due to water availability, farmers find it easier to harvest crops. The impact of JalTara in 50 villages of Maharashtra is evident with 14 ft. average increase in the water table, and 42% increase in the average crop yield. This resulted in an increase of farmers' income by 120%. Moreover, waterlogging due to heavy rains has decreased by 100%, resulting in zero crop spoilage.

The vision of JalTara for the coming five years is to reach 100,000 villages across India and build 5 crore recharge structures that can recharge over 15 trillion litres of groundwater annually. 

About The Art of Living: Social Projects

The Art of Living is a non-profit, educational and humanitarian organization founded in 1981 by the world-renowned humanitarian and spiritual leader - Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, through its social projects like JalTara, aims at reaching every part of Rural India and overcoming the water crisis. 

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