Finolex Industries Provides Water Harvesting Boost to Ratnagiri
India is home to 18% of the global population but has only 4% of usable water resources. The water crisis gets worse further through distribution losses in the carriage of water and endemic pollution.
Maharashtra is facing its worst drought ever this year. More than 25% villages in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra suffer from water shortages and more than 50% of land is kept fallow due to lack of sufficient water.
The problem is not just of scanty rainfall, but also of poor water management and lack of building reservoirs. Due to the soil and terrain of rural Maharashtra, water management is a severe problem.
Addressing this concern, Finolex Industries Ltd, India’s largest PVC pipes manufacturer started working on various water conservation projects in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra from 2007.
The company, which has spent close to Rs. 58 lakhs in various water schemes in from 2007 till 2013, has now taken up an additional investment of Rs. 45 lakh for the renovation and development of sustainable water transport infrastructure in Kolambe Gram panchayat.
In collaboration with its CSR partner, Mukul Madhav Foundation, Finolex has completed the fourth phase of the pipeline construction in Kolambe village of Ratnagiri, Maharahtra.
So far, three water schemes have been implemented in the Kolambe region and the fourth was inaugurated on 2 May 2016 in the presence of members of the Gram Panchayat and 200 villagers from the region.
In addition to these activities, the company has also started its annual drive of supplying water tankers to the villages of Bhatye and Phansop. This is the fifth year for these water drives.
Under the water scheme project in Kolambe, Finolex Industries Ltd, has dug new wells and rebuilt old wells addressing the problem of non-availability of clean water in these villages.
The company has also been sending 3-5 water tankers, each with a capacity of 10,000 litres, for the scorching summers of April and May to the villages of Bhatye and Phansop covering around 3,200 people (650 households) from all castes and communities of the villages. 15 lac litres of water is distributed each year to these households.
“Any activity is sustainable only if various stakeholders are addressed. We have implemented these projects in consultation with the local government and the villagers. While taking care of the water shortage, we have also extended financial help to the Gram Panchayats for payment of repair charges, electricity bills etc. with respect to the existing water supply schemes.” said, Mr. Math, Director (Operations), Finolex Industries Ltd , Ratnagiri.
Ratnagiri is a port city on the Arabian Sea coast in Ratnagiri District in the southwestern part of Maharashtra, India. The district is a part of Konkan division of Maharashtra.
Konkan is a very narrow strip of land with an average width of 64 km from the Sahyadris to the sea. Even though the Sahyadri range receives heavy rainfall during the monsoons, the rivers rapidly drain water to the west coast, therefore, the region faces severe water scarcity in summer months.
Finolex Industries Ltd, being in the business of water management brought in measures like rain water harvesting to the nearby villages. A Water Filtration Unit has been installed in one of the wells at Bhatye village which has been of great help to these villagers.
Through 17 different water schemes in nearby villages the company engages in benefitting around 19,000 people from 3,704 households on an annual basis by providing them an easier and cleaner source of drinking water.
Since 2007, Finolex Industries Limited has spent approximately Rs. 80 lacs on these schemes till date. Finolex Industries will continue to support these villages and also take up additional projects in the area of water management and water harvesting.
