Amazon to launch groundwater recharge project in Maharashtra's Vaitarna basin
The project will target the Vaitarna hydro basin, which is also one of the major water sources for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The Lower Vaitarna and Tansa reservoirs, situated close to the project location, provide over 870 million litres of drinking water every day to the city. Authorities claim that the initiative will improve urban and rural water scarcity in the region.
The interventions planned are rainwater harvesting pond construction, field bunding to prevent runoff, improved drainage systems and soil erosion control measures. They aim to augment groundwater recharge, irrigation supply, and agricultural production in areas of Palghar district, including villages like Abhitghar and Kabra.
The Maharashtra government has also backed this initiative, citing its viability to benefit farmers in water-scarce regions. 'The collaboration between Amazon and ICRISAT to replenish groundwater in the Vaitarna basin is a vital step in enhancing climate resilience in water-stressed communities. The Vaitarna River is crucial not only for the Mumbai metropolitan region but also for Maharashtra's agro-systems and communities. Its regeneration will directly benefit our communities, farmers, and food systems,' Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said.
Amazon is planning to return more water to the Indian communities than it extracts in its direct operations by 2027. The new project in Maharashtra complements its current water replenishment efforts in the states of Telangana, Karnataka and Delhi.
ICRISAT has estimated that the project in Maharashtra will benefit approximately 700 farm families, especially during the Rabi crops season, and could boost household incomes by as much as 80 per cent. The effort will also help reduce the impact of soil degradation and enhance water scarcity resilience, according to the organisation.
The Vaitarna project will be completed in two years and work is expected to start later this year. It is likely to have direct benefits to the local agriculture sector and indirect benefits to the water supply system of Mumbai.
The government will also be tracking the project, along with Amazon and ICRISAT, to monitor developments and gauge the impact. Officials state that the results will help inform subsequent groundwater recharge efforts in other regions of Maharashtra.
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