Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda launched the 1000 Springs Initiative and an online portal on GIS-based Spring Atlas with hydrological and chemical properties of the springs in Bhubaneswar on February 27. He also launched the Programme for Capacity Building of Scheduled Tribe Representatives in Local Self-Governments.

Munda said that 1000 Springs Initiative aims at improving access to safe and adequate water for tribal communities living in difficult and inaccessible part of rural areas in the country.

What is the project’s significance?

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) with the support of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has designed the 1000 Springs initiative.

It is an attempt to address multiple development deprivations in tribal areas by harnessing springs in a sustainable manner.

Many tribal communities live in hilly, thickly forested and hard-to-reach areas. Due to the tricky geography and complex hydro-geological limitations, the ground water development potential through conventional means (dug wells / tubewells / boreholes, etc) is limited. However, springs could address the various multi-dimensional vulnerabilities associated with the lack of water security in tribal areas.

It is an integrated solution around natural springs. It includes provision of infrastructure for piped water supply for drinking, provision of water for irrigation, community-led total sanitation initiatives and provision for water for backyard nutrition gardens, which can generate sustainable livelihood opportunities for the tribal people.

Springs are natural sources of groundwater discharge and have been used extensively in mountainous regions. However, in the central and eastern Indian belt with more than 75 per cent tribal population, it remains largely unrecognised and under-utilised. The initiative will help in harnessing the potential of perennial springs’ water to address natural scarcity of water in tribal areas.

Under this initiative, more than 70 young tribal youths from the rural belt of three districts of Odisha - Kalahandi, Kandhamal and Gajapati - have been trained as  hydro-geologists by combining traditional and scientific knowledge for identification and mapping of springs, and undertaking rejuvenation and protection measures in their habitations.

Online portal on GIS-based Spring Atlas has been developed to make this data easily accessible from an online platform. Presently, data of more than 170 springs have been uploaded on the Spring Atlas.

Manorama Yearbook app is now available on Google Play Store and iOS App Store