When almost half the state was reeling under severe water shortage,Kasarwadi in Jalna district and Kachner in Aurangabad district were self sufficient. This oasis in drought-hit Marathwada was possible because of efforts on for the last three years by the Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR). In spite of receiving less than 200 mm of rainfall last year,Kasarwadi had enough water in its wells,while Bantakali,just two km from the village,battled for water. The arrival of monsoon may have blurred the stark contrast these two villages had with the surrounding areas during the past few months,but the two short films have frozen that difference forever. WOTR,a not-for-profit NGO working in the field of watershed development and adaptation to climate change,has made the films to chronicle the success of its watershed projects in these two villages. The 4.48-minute film,The Battle for Water - A Drought Story from Marathwada-Kasarwadi,and 4.39-minute Making Drought a Memory - Kachner Tanda,both in English,were shot in May. J R Pawar,executive director at Sanjivani Institution for Empowerment and Development (SIED),a sister concern of WOTR,says that three years back,a village-level committee was formed with 11 representatives of Kasarwadi to implement the watershed project under which measures were taken to harvest rainwater. Besides afforestation,various small and big bunds (dams) were made of mud,cement and rocks to stop wastage of rainwater. Even on the mountains,measures were taken to collect rainwater so that watertable goes up, says Pawar. Because of this villagers had enough water in handpumps and wells to sustain themselves during the drought in the state,says Pawar. The Battle for Water opens with a scene in Bantakli village where hundreds of people are standing around a well to fill water as soon as the water tanker arrives and an old man says,In 1972,there was water and no food. Today,there is food and no water. Our animals are suffering more than us. Around 300 animals have been sent to chavanis (community animal shelters). Kasarwadi is just two km from here; they dont need water tankers. Making Drought a Memory begins with Gyansingh Naymane of Jodwadi village,the owner of a orchard of 500 trees,watching his young son cutting down the trees. I had to cut them as I couldnt water them for the past one year. Our wells have water enough for us,but we couldnt water the trees. It is followed by scenes of Kachner,just 4 km away from Jodwadi,where villagers have plenty of water for themselves, their cattle and their plants as they have learnt to save rainwater. WOTR co-founder Crispino Lobo said the short films that are on YouTube now propagate watershed development as a method to address droughts. Rivers and streams make only five per cent of the total catchment area for water. If we concentrate only on rivers and streams that means we are ignoring the remaining 95 per cent of the catchment area. There is a need to trap and capture rainwater,wherever it falls. Thats the long-term solution,which was implemented in various villages; the short films tracked the success stories of these two villages as an example, says Lobo.
