Godhra: Sarpanches and farmers from several surrounding villages gathered at Poyli Hathani Mata seasonal Falls in Ghoghamba on Sunday for a parikrama (circumambulation) and a crucial meeting aimed at finding a permanent solution to the region’s persistent water scarcity. The initiative focuses on exploring methods to effectively capture and utilize the monsoon runoff from the Hathani Falls, which currently flows away unused.

The event, organized by the Jai Hathani Mata Parisar Samiti, saw a significant turnout of village sarpanches, district and taluka panchayat officials, and a large number of concerned farmers. The parikrama involved a walk from the Hathani Mata temple grounds to the Wankod Labdadhara Bridge, allowing participants to observe the natural flow of the river and identify potential sites for water harvesting structures.

The primary objective of this exercise is to devise strategies to retain the water that originates from the Hathani Mata Falls. Participants discussed various approaches to collect this water, which often diminishes after the monsoon, leading to water shortages in the neighboring villages. The water scarcity impacts numerous villages including Sarsava, Zari, Nathpura, Vav, Zhab, Bakrol, Kataria, Wakod, Labdadhara, Undwa, Garmotia, Samalkuwa, Adepur, Jinzri, and Mall.

Residents living in the areas surrounding the falls, extending up to Palla Dam, also participated in the discussions. Key concerns raised included the drying up of borewells due to the declining water table, which has reportedly fallen below three hundred feet, exacerbating the water crisis, particularly during the summer months.

The meeting served as a platform for brainstorming and collaborative planning to implement sustainable water management solutions. The collective effort underscores the urgency felt by the local communities to address the water problem and ensure a reliable water supply for irrigation and domestic use in the long term. The insights gained from the parikrama and the discussions will likely form the basis for future action plans and potential projects aimed at harnessing the water resources of the Hathani Mata Falls. DeshGujarat