Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
In the low-rainfall district, ponds constructed by the Soil and Water Conservation Department have significantly improved groundwater levels, bringing 35,558 hectares under irrigation and helping recharge wells and borewells.
Under the “Save Water, Conserve Water” initiative, 1,572 ponds have been built across village fields in recent years, storing 184.78 lakh cubic metres of water with a designed irrigation capacity of 36,558 hectares, though the actual benefits extend further. District soil and water conservation officer Narendra Katke said these ponds do not supply water directly through canals but help raise groundwater levels, making villages tanker-free and providing water for livestock and birds. As per government norms, ponds with 100 hectares capacity are built by the Zilla Parishad, those with 101–600 hectares by the department, and ponds above 601 hectares by the Godavari Marathwada Irrigation Development Corporation. The department also maintains and repairs its ponds. “When ponds fill during the monsoon, groundwater levels rise, helping villages become tanker-free,” Katke said.