TANK REHABILITATION PROJECT PONDICHERRY

Introduction

The project area lies in Puducherry Region, one of the four enclaves, which constitute the Union Territory of Puducherry (UP), a former French colony.  Puducherry is situated on the Coromandal coast, 162 km south of Chennai.

Tank Rehabilitation project is a bilateral agreement between Government of Indian and European Commission and it started in September 1998.  The project is implemented through Public Works Department, Puducherry with the assistance of Agricultural Department and several NGOs.  The total fund allocated for this project is Rs.34.73 crores including Rs.28.13 (81%) crores from European Commission, Rs.4.40 (13%) crores from Government of Puducherry and Rs.2.20 crores (6%) from community stakeholders.  The 84 tanks with its command area of 6,500 ha. have been taken up for rehabilitation work in the region of Puducherry through participatory approach.

The European Commission has abruptly stopped the project in December 2004.  The Government of Puducherry has extended the project up to March 2008.

Objective

1. Stabilising the existing ayacut.

2. Restoration of Agriculture income from irrigated crop production

3. Diminish reliance on ground water resources.

4. Halt salt water intrusion into sweet water aquifiers.

Palmyra's Role

Palmyra’s role in the project consists mainly involving and organizing the participating communities and Tank Associations and to train them to develop their own natural resource based management as well as encourage the beneficiaries through extensive capacity building exercises to sustain themselves on a long term basis.

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