Renovation of Ancient Beries and Construction of New Taankas

Summary

In Western Rajasthan, rainwater harvesting system is very ancient and is sustainable mean of water security. Underground Taanka and Beries are such structures for harvesting rains. GRAVIS promotes these structures by technical improvement and renovation.

Background

Western part of Rajasthan lies in Thar Desert which is prone to frequent droughts and acute water scarcity. The rainfall in the region in less than 200 mm in a year which is insufficient for massive agriculture and recharge. There is acute shortage of drinking water as a result of which the community also suffers from serious health threats, poor sanitation, poverty and other complicated socio- economic problems.

Because of rainfed region and saline ground water, situation of project area Bap (Jodhpur) and Jaisalmer are worst. As a part of routine work, women and young girls have to walk miles every day to fetch water for the family in inhospitable conditions. Most of time girls could not go to schools.

GRAVIS has been focusing in the areas of water security and improving the living conditions of women and children in the region for a number of years. Over last 29 years, it has done commendable work in many villages in developing rainwater harvesting techniques. Till date GRAVIS has constructed 5628 taankas and has renovated 522 Beries. The proposed project will promote rainwater harvesting in selected villages of Jodhpur and Jaisalmer district and will reduce the water fetching drudgery of women and children.

Location

Bap Block, Jodhpur, Rajasthan , India

Attachments

Person_d...
Rainwate...
Sept.05_...
IDEX-GRA...
PWX_Budg...

2 participants | show more
Renovation Frequency

Madan Kumar of Team Blue

Hello Gravis, How often do the Beries need to be de-silted and renovated? What does renovation involve? Are there ways to prevent the build up of silt? A cleanable silt trap? thanks, Madan

Hello Gravis,
How often do the Beries need to be de-silted and renovated? What does renovation involve? Are there ways to prevent the build up of silt? A cleanable silt trap?
thanks,
Madan
- Prakash Tyagi of GRAVIS
  
  Thanks. A beri needs a de-silt approximately after every 10 years. The de-silt or the renovation includes excavation of the cavity and taking out the silt. High velocity dust storm in the Thar region lead to this. We have not used any silt-trap techniques in the past, and would be willing to experiment on that.
  
  Thanks. A beri needs a de-silt approximately after every 10 years. The de-silt or the renovation includes excavation of the cavity and taking out the silt. High velocity dust storm in the Thar region lead to this. We have not used any silt-trap techniques in the past, and would be willing to experiment on that.
2 participants | show more
General Construction

Saurin Shah of Team Blue

After reviewing this application here are some the queries that I wish to share : - What are the means and methods that would be employed in renovation/making of beries and taankas? - What is the life of the structures envisioned? - How sustainable is the current option, in terms of its impact to environment? - What are the PH...

After reviewing this application here are some the queries that I wish to share :

- What are the means and methods that would be employed in renovation/making of beries and taankas?

- What is the life of the structures envisioned?

- How sustainable is the current option, in terms of its impact to environment?

- What are the PH levels of water in taankas and beries made in past?

- What are the water filters consists of?

- What if there is lime used instead of cement- Do they have locally available materials to make it? How much time it will take? Are the local people conversant of constructing in lime?

- Traditionally, is there other methods to conserve water that can cater to larger number?
- Prakash Tyagi of GRAVIS
  
  Thank you for your questions Saurin Ji. Here are our replies. The methods in making beries and taankas are traditional. We renovate beries which includes excavation of sand and repairing the structures. Tannkas are constructed which includes digging a 10 feet deep structure, creation of stone walls and a roof top and then creating an a...
  
  Thank you for your questions Saurin Ji. Here are our replies.
  
  The methods in making beries and taankas are traditional. We renovate beries which includes excavation of sand and repairing the structures. Tannkas are constructed which includes digging a 10 feet deep structure, creation of stone walls and a roof top and then creating an artificial catchment area. You could see the pictures of these structures in our various annual reports at our website - www.gravis.org.in
  
  The life of the structures is usually long with good maintenance. Beries need renovation/de-silt every 10 to 15 years. Taankas can long very last with very little annual maintenance. The structures are rain-water harvesting, so have only positive environmental impacts. The water filters consist of iron net. Cement is mainly used in construction, as the lime construction is expensive and time consuming.
  
  Other larger structures are ponds, but they have a bigger cost and have to be located far from many households.
2 participants | show more

Venkataramu Chandrababu of Aa Foundation for Community Development

Hello GRAVIS, It is interesting to see th e photos of renovation of age old tankas and beries.I have a point to be understood with respect to water storage.can you please clarify how you are planning to stop any leakage? Are you using any leak proof technique?

Hello GRAVIS,
It is interesting to see th e photos of renovation of age old tankas and beries.I have a point to be understood with respect to water storage.can you please clarify how you are planning to stop any leakage?
Are you using any leak proof technique?
- Prakash Tyagi of GRAVIS
  
  Thanks. The tanks constructed by us have a solid bottom and walls made of stone and cement. The beneficiaries are advised and encouraged to do an annual maintenance to check and cracks. The catchment area around the tanks may give way to seepage, to avoid which a cement apron is constructed around the wall from the outside. These have work...
  
  Thanks. The tanks constructed by us have a solid bottom and walls made of stone and cement. The beneficiaries are advised and encouraged to do an annual maintenance to check and cracks. The catchment area around the tanks may give way to seepage, to avoid which a cement apron is constructed around the wall from the outside. These have worked very well for us.
2 participants | show more
Government Involvement

Dipti Vaghela of Team Blue

Hello Gravis, With the number of systems you've installed, it sounds like you have a proven approach. With my experience at Gram Vikas and OTELP, I learned that after tipping point of installing a high number of systems, the government eventually wakes up and joins the movement. With your reputation and strong experience, have you...

Hello Gravis,

With the number of systems you've installed, it sounds like you have a proven approach.

With my experience at Gram Vikas and OTELP, I learned that after tipping point of installing a high number of systems, the government eventually wakes up and joins the movement.

With your reputation and strong experience, have you been able to leverage local and state government support for water and related projects?

Have you / do you work with government agencies to fund projects, identify sites, raise awareness, and incorporate NREGA and other policies to make them work for your communities?

Thanks,
Dipti
- Prakash Tyagi of GRAVIS
  
  Hi Dipti, Thanks for your question. We have till date constructed over 5,500 taankas and over 540 beries. So, there has been a long and proven experience. In the beginning, the government did not agree with our approach of constructing smaller, household size structures. But gradually our idea got great acceptance. Currently, GRAVI...
  
  Hi Dipti,
  
  Thanks for your question. We have till date constructed over 5,500 taankas and over 540 beries. So, there has been a long and proven experience.
  
  In the beginning, the government did not agree with our approach of constructing smaller, household size structures. But gradually our idea got great acceptance. Currently, GRAVIS is almost on all local government committees focusing on water, agriculture and development. It has also partnered in various govt projects on water including the currently ongoing Integrated Water Resource Management (IIWRM). Our roles in these projects have been of sharing knowledge, facilitating community based processes and technical support.
  
  We have also been participating regularly in NREGA discussions as well as other programmes like NRHM and Sanitation Campaign to provide our and communities' feedback on funding, possible activities and monitoring.
3 participants | show more
Technology

Kusum Gaur of Peer Water Exchange

You have been working for water harvest for almost 30 years, I would like to ask you if there are any changes in the technology of Taanka’s or Berries from the traditional knowledge or new modification has been incorporated. Have you invited any technical colleges or institutes to your field area to get new ideas? Kusum

You have been working for water harvest for almost 30 years, I would like to ask you if there are any changes in the technology of Taanka’s or Berries from the traditional knowledge or new modification has been incorporated. Have you invited any technical colleges or institutes to your field area to get new ideas?

Kusum
- Prakash Tyagi of GRAVIS
  
  Thanks for your questions. Yes, GRAVIS has worked extensively on innovations to improve the efficiency of taankas and beries and to reduce the cost. The innovations have been in the context of design, construction materials and also in the training part. We have received technical inputs from a number of expert organizations including Cent...
  
  Thanks for your questions. Yes, GRAVIS has worked extensively on innovations to improve the efficiency of taankas and beries and to reduce the cost. The innovations have been in the context of design, construction materials and also in the training part. We have received technical inputs from a number of expert organizations including Central Arid Zone Research Institute (CAZRI).
- Rick McGowan of Team Blue
  
  Sorry but I know very little about agricultural water demand management.
  
  Sorry but I know very little about agricultural water demand management.
3 participants | show more
Maintenance

Madan Kumar of Team Blue

Hello Gravis, Do the families contribute towards a maintenance fund? Just for my understanding, is it possible to de-silt annually and would it be cheaper to do that, rather then the major de-silting? thanks, Madan

Hello Gravis,
Do the families contribute towards a maintenance fund?
Just for my understanding, is it possible to de-silt annually and would it be cheaper to do that, rather then the major de-silting?
thanks,
Madan
- Prakash Tyagi of GRAVIS
  
  Madan Ji - thank you. The community contributes to the renovation as well as to the community based funds or village funds which can be used for maintenance and minor issues. An annual de-silt according to us may not be very practical. We can discuss this further with the community.
  
  Madan Ji - thank you. The community contributes to the renovation as well as to the community based funds or village funds which can be used for maintenance and minor issues. An annual de-silt according to us may not be very practical. We can discuss this further with the community.
- Rick McGowan of Team Blue
  
  If the beneficiaries are not willing to contribute to a maintenance fund to cover repairs, upgrades and basic operation and maintenance costs (no matter what income level of the family), then PWX should not provide financial and technical support.
  
  If the beneficiaries are not willing to contribute to a maintenance fund to cover repairs, upgrades and basic operation and maintenance costs (no matter what income level of the family), then PWX should not provide financial and technical support.
  - Prakash Tyagi of GRAVIS
    
    Thanks for your comment Rick McGowan. I understand your point and we always encourage and ensure a local contribution.
    
    Thanks for your comment Rick McGowan. I understand your point and we always encourage and ensure a local contribution.
- Prakash Tyagi of GRAVIS
  
  Thanks for your comment Rick McGowan. I understand your point and we always encourage and ensure a local contribution.
  
  Thanks for your comment Rick McGowan. I understand your point and we always encourage and ensure a local contribution.

Rating: 8

review by Peer Water Exchange

There is a clear need in the area GRAVIS is working in and their interventions are appropriate, inclusive.

My major worry is population growth. The area cannot sustain a large and growing population and the work being proposed with have short-term impact if the beneficiary population grows.

I hope they heed the advice and restore traditional structures with time-tested traditional materials - thus improving the skills of the people in the area to manage their own water systems.
Rating: 8

review by Shohratgarh Environmental Society (SES)

Looking at proposal & discussion at Q & A forum shows GRAVIS has huge experience of construction of 5628 tannka & 522 beries. The most important thing is participation of community & GRAVIS is involving in it in every stage. My recommendation is highly positive for GRAVIS proposal.
Rating: 7

review by Aa Foundation for Community Development

GRAVIS has good experience in technical, and community development , I see the area also needs focus intervention on the other issue , since the projects are covering greater number of community , the integrated approach will bring in comprehensive changes and support for the development of the at area with the time and budget limits, also with local mobilization ( eg: looking on childlabour issue , child marriage , women health issues , youth life skill... and any other with- in your observation and need).Also suggest to plan for withdraw strategies once GRAVIs role is not required and parallel system is created among community themselves.

Good wishes for your Project.
Rating: 7

review by Team Blue

Principally the project like this should be funded. I would make some suggestions in terms of means and methods. It is known that using cement, the structure does not survive as long as the one's in lime employing ancestral time tested method. It is recommended to use more traditional/Indigenous systems of design and construction. More important it is very critical not to loose ancestral wisdom which India is blessed with, especially when an organization has been working on larger scale of community. If local material - lime and sand along with local labor is employed, this will give community a knowledge-confidence of independently sufficing their needs of livelihood and not to be dependent of funding from ngo, private or public body. This is how in past large water project were sponsored by monarchs with help of local wisdom/resources and not letting down their self-respect/swabhiman. Best Luck
Rating: 8

review by Gram Vikas Mandal, Dethali

Though no experience in this field, but i found both design as seen in picture and comments by other experts good learning for our work in Dethali. I will be sharing this with our village too.
Rating: 9

review by PhotoPhilanthropy

Based on the application information and Q&A forum, I am impressed with what appears to be extensive experience and thoughtful use of traditional yet workable technology that Gravis has to offer. The water solution seems appropriate for the environment and conditions. I recommend that the application be funded.

Name	Status	Completion Date
Renovation of Ancient Beries at Kishneri village	in_progress	Jan 2013
Renovation of Ancient Beries at Khidrat village	in_progress	Jan 2013
Renovation of Ancient Beries at Khetusar village	in_progress	Jan 2013
Creation of new taanka at Ramjanpura	in_progress	Jan 2013
Creation of new taanka at Reen	in_progress	Jan 2013

Plan Amount:	8,764
Amount Funded:	9,229
Funded by:
Arghyam	9,229
Community Contribution:	727

plan 417Renovation of Ancient Beries and Construction of New Taankas

by GRAVIS in India

Status: Plan accepted

Peer Review

Summary

Background

Location

Attachments

Focus

People Getting Safe Drinking Water: 1,918

School Children Getting Water:

People Getting Sanitation: 1,918

People Getting Other Benefits: 1,918

Start Date: 2012-08-01

Completion Date: 2013-01-31

Technology Used:

Phases:

Community Organization:

Government Interaction:

Ancillary activities:

Other Issues:

Maintenance Revenue:

Maintenance Cost:

Metrics:

Cost: $8,764

Co Funding Amount:

Community Contribution Amount: $727

Fund Requested: $8,764

Attachments