JECET; June 2015- August 2015; Sec. A; Vol.4.No.3, 843-848.

E-ISSN: 2278–179X

Journal of Environmental Science, Computer Science and

Engineering & Technology
An International Peer Review E-3 Journal of Sciences and Technology

Available online at www.jecet.org

Section A: Environmental Science

Research Article

Foreshore Plantation in Community Based Tank

Management Project: A Case Study in Talagawara
Village, Chikkaballapura District, Karnataka, India
Sreenivasa1, 2 and Azis Kemal Fauzie2

1
Environmental Specialist, JSYS District Project Unit, Chintamani
Chikkaballapura district, Karnataka, India

2
Department of Studies in Environmental Science, University of Mysore, Mysore,
India, 570006

Received: 10 August 2015; Revised: 23 August 2015; Accepted: 27 August 2015

Abstract: Tank foreshore area is a land in between HTL and LTL. Tank foreshore
plantations have immense potential for employment generation and importantly they
prevent encroachments. Such plantations increase green cover, avoid evaporation of
water, harbour aquatic birds in rainy season, controlling harmful pests and the fuel
and fodder needs of villages are met partially at the time of harvest. Saplings
produced in nurseries are sold to Jala Samvardhane Yojana Sangha (JSYS) project.
Nursery raising and maintenance in the Talagavara village is a New Intervention
being carried out in the village. Community members participated in larger number
on the day of world environmental day, TMI’s, community members, neighbouring
villagers, planted 9250 seedlings that were supplied by the TMI’s under JSYS,
project. The purpose of the project is to identity and promotes strategies for
sustainable management of natural resources to improve the livelihoods of landless,
small, marginal farmers and including woman. The project was executed by an inter-
disciplinary partnership comprising from World Bank, TMI’s and SPU (State Project
Unit), DPU (District Project Unit), JSYS and NGO. The success of foreshore
plantation will depend on selection of appropriate sites and size, identification of
843 JECET; June 2015- August 2015; Sec. A; Vol.4.No.3, 843-848.
Foreshore… Sreenivasa and Fauzie

plant species and survival of plantation by sustaining interest of TUG and TMI
members during the gestation period.
Keywords: bamboo, community-based management, foreshore, nursery, tank
management.

1. INTRODUCTION

Jala Samvardhane yojana Sangha (JSYS) is a registered society established in 2002 by the
Government of Karnataka to serve as the nodal agency in the State for the implementation of the
Word Bank Aided Community Based Tank Management and to facilitate the transfer of tank system
development and management from the State back to communities for future management through
(via user groups). The World Bank assisted Karnataka Community Based Tank Management Project
(KCBTMP) being implemented by JSYS, was launched on 5th June 20021. The project development
objective is to improve rural livelihoods and reduce poverty by developing and strengthening
community based approaches to improving and managing selected tank systems. Women would be
given preference for foreshore plantation, watering of the plants in the off season and required
nursery rising for foreshore plantation and the cultivation of fodder on the foreshore.
Talagavara is a small village in Kaiwara Hobli of Chintamani Taluk. Talagavara is about 12km south
of Chintamani town with a population of 2034 the village has agriculture and allied activities as main
source of livelihood. Though the agriculture is pre-dominantly rain fed, the village has a big tank
system for catering its water needs. The village has a thick density of bore wells and its main
backbone for water needs in the Ammanikere (tank) system. The livelihoods are severely affected by
partial functioning of the tank system. This serious issue was discussed with an NGO (RSC) which is
implementing World Bank supported project approached JSYS to include Talagavara Ammanikere
(tank) in the proposed tank.
Restoration project JSYS has constituted a facilitation team to help community to study all issues and
prepare a project. Nurseries set up by TUG/SHG’s after receiving training and nursery management
are a good source of income is many areas. Saplings produced in nurseries are sold to JSYS project,
and farmers in the area who have been encouraged to take up forestry, after seeing the returns gained
from well-managed nursery. Nursery raising after selection of appropriate species together with DPU
specialists, social forestry personnel’s and the TMI, the TUG members will take up nursery raising in
collaboration with SHG’s. The SHG members will be trained in nursery raising. The project was
executed by an interdisciplinary partnership comprising scientists from World Bank, TMI and SPU
(State Project Unit), DPU (District Project Unit), and staff of the NGO. The Foreshore plantations
component has the following objectives are an effective utilization of tank foreshore areas,
introduction of foreshore plantation for resource mobilization for TMI’s for tank management and
maintenance, improving fodder and fuel wood situation in tank areas, creating income generating
resources for TUG, TMI and landless people.
The forests of Chickballapur are typical of the plain tracts of Karnataka. The stocking of the forests is
poor. The trees are stunted and branchy, with diffused crown. The soil is poor and shallow and rains
are scanty. Such conditions support only stunted growth. There are large extents of thorn forests. The
forests have been heavily exploited in the past for extracting firewood2 and for manufacturing
charcoal. Large extents of thorny, scrubby and deciduous forests were also cleared to plant mostly
eucalyptus hybrid under various schemes. The forests on inaccessible steep slopes, however, remain
UN worked. Even in the unexploited areas the vegetation is mostly stunted.

844 JECET; June 2015- August 2015; Sec. A; Vol.4.No.3, 843-848.

Foreshore… Sreenivasa and Fauzie

The satellite imagery of Chickballapur district shows that 6.18% of the area is forested. Of the
geographic area of Chickballapur District, the area under dense forests (with canopy cover greater
than 70%) is zero; moderately dense forests (canopy cover between 40-70%) accounts for 0.72%;
open forest accounts for 5.46% (canopy cover between 40-10%) and scrub forests accounts for 3.44%
(less than 10% canopy cover).The climate of the district is seasonally dry tropical savannas climate
with four seasons. The dry season with clear, bright weather is from December to February. The
summer season from March to May is followed by the southwest monsoon from June to September,
October and November constitute the post monsoon or retreating monsoon. The mean dry
temperature is about 35ºC in summer and 14ºC in winter. The maximum percentage of rainfall
between July to October and mean annual rainfall is around 705 metre purpose of the project is to
identify and promotes strategies for sustainable management of natural resources to improve the
livelihoods of landless, small, marginal farmers and including women.

2. MATERIALS AND METHODS

2.1 Study Area: Field study was conducted during season 2010 in Talagavara village 12 km away
from the Taluk headquarters of Chintamani. Identification and demarcation of appropriate size for
foreshore plantation is the crucial activity in the foreshore plantation component. Foreshore area in
the tank will be identified by TUG considering the technical feasibility and appropriateness of size as
well as adequacy of plot size for foreshore plantation. It was proposed to take up plantation on about
minimum 5 ha of foreshore land in the tank foreshore area.
2.2 Site Selection: The support organization will facilitate organizing of poor to form TUGs to
undertake the foreshore forestry plantation on a tank foreshore area of land. The social forestry
officials together with TMI will identify appropriate land for foreshore plantation. The TUG will be
trained in pre-plantation and plantation activities.
2.3 Sapling planted: planted forestry seedlings such as Pongamia, Terminalia Arjuna, Glyricidia,
Jatropa, Bamboo, Acacia, Dalbergia sisoo, silver oak, etc.
2.4 Nursery raising: After selection of appropriate species together by DPU environmental
specialists, social forestry personnel and the TMI, the TUG members will take up nursery raising in
collaboration with local SHG’s. The TUG members will be trained in nursery raising.
2.5 Site preparation: Site preparation work will be taken up by the TUG including pit digging work.
Appropriate spacing will be maintained to ensure proper growth of trees.
2.6 Plantation and other cultural operations: The plantation will be taken up as a collective
activity on a fixed day during the year 2005. The community members will be encouraged to
participate in the plantation activities. This will be necessary to provide priority to plantation during
the monsoon season.
2.7 Maintenance and operation: Regular plant maintenance operations will be taken up by TUG
under the guidance of TMI personnel’s who will undertake periodic monitoring of plantation to assess
the growth and identify needs based interventions. Regular watch and ward of the plantation will be
responsibility of the TUG and TMI. Need based mechanism will be set up by the TUG under the
facilitation of the Support organization.
2.8 Participatory approach: A participatory approach adapted for the protection and development
of freezer plantation. The local community was more concerned for immediate economic benefits
from bamboo, the raw material for traditional demanded in the market, than the global concern for

845 JECET; June 2015- August 2015; Sec. A; Vol.4.No.3, 843-848.

Foreshore… Sreenivasa and Fauzie

long term tangible and intangible benefits from trees. The local people agreed to include plantation of
multipurpose trees in association with bamboo and medicinal species when they were informed of the
limitations of their perceptions and concerns related to rehabilitation. Rehabilitation comprised an
introduction of bamboo, herbs and leaf trees, initial improvement in soil fertility through organic
manuring, social fencing of the treated area and involvement of the whole village community by
giving due consideration to local interests and by enabling participation of local people in project
design, implementation and monitoring.

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Acacia aruculiformis, Dalbergia sisoo, Bamboo, Pongamia glabra, silver oak are the major species
planted in low rainfall range in the Talagawara tank foreshore area in a Chintamani talk during the
year 2005. The high level survival rate in the low rainfall zone where the rainfall is below 700 mm
are Bamboo that can be followed by Dalbergia sisoo, Acacia arculiformis, Gliricidia, Jatropa and
Pongamia glabra. The overall survival rate of all plantations is 70.35 per cent. The individual
survival rate of the evaluated plantations is presented in (Table 1). Plant survey has been conducted
through direct enumeration of existing plants in the foreshore area during the year 2010 and the total
survival rate of saplings were shown in the (Table1). The quality of work is quite satisfactory.

Table1: Seedlings Proposed and Planted in Talagawara Village Tank Foreshore Area

Proposed Planted Survival Survival

Sl. Seedlings Sponsored Area
Year in in No. during rate in
No. proposed by covered
numbers numbers 2010 %

1 Acacia 2000 2000 1564 78.2

Arculifrmis

2 Bamboo 2000 1000 824 82.4

2005 JSYS 5 ha
3 Pongamia 2000 1500 850 56.6
glabra

4 Glyricidia 1500 1500 963 64.2

5 Jatropa 500 250 158 63.2

6 Dalbergia 2000 2000 1587 79.3

sisoo

7 Silver oak 2500 1000 562 56.2

Total 10500 9250 6508 70.35

846 JECET; June 2015- August 2015; Sec. A; Vol.4.No.3, 843-848.

Foreshore… Sreenivasa and Fauzie

3.1 Intangible Benefits: The intangible benefits which have been enumerated through discussions
with local villages can be grouped into three subheads:
3.2 Economic value: apart from timber and firewood people can count on a steady supply of forest
products like gums, oils, medicinal plants, leaves and barks.
3.3 Environmental and ecological values: the degraded areas which are brought under tree cover
helps in conserving and enriching the environment in many ways. It prevents the rapid runoff of water
that can cause erosion and flooding. Under foreshore large amounts of rainfall percolate into the soil
and becomes groundwater. This groundwater provides a clean and fresh source of water for streams,
lakes and wells. The agriculture and garden lands down below are greatly benefited from the
availability of water is increased in the wells. The tree cover releases oxygen by absorbing carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere through the process of photosynthesis, which is essential for the survival of
mankind. Tree crop reduces the intensity of light and keeps the surrounding cool. These areas
gradually provide a house for many plants, animals and to organisms. Many kinds of wildlife,
especially birds, reptiles and insects start dwelling in these plantations.
3.4 Culture and recreational value: The area which is brought under tree cover provide not only
food, water and materials for everyday living besides meeting the agriculture needs, but also a
spiritual and cultural home for the villagers in the vicinity. In the nearby villages the natural beauty
and peace of the forest offers a special source of enjoyment. Many villages use this forest during
festivals and leisure days to enjoy the scenery and relax in the quiet surroundings. The project is
being implemented very successfully. The objectives of the projects have been achieved. Restoration
and increasing the productivity of foreshore lands through a forestation has created assets apart from
meeting the demands of the people. The project has also created employment generation to the local
people. The species and techniques adopted is best suited to the locality as such the percentage of
success is very high and in long run the site quality of these plantations is bound to improve and thus
further degradation of the foreshore area is checked.

4. CONCLUSION

Nursery raising, foreshore plantation and maintenance in the community based villages are a new
intervention being carried out in the villages. In Talagavara most of the people, (women) are small
marginal farmers and landless people. To improve the livelihoods of the men were identified poor
women, including men, were identified for nursery training. The women were willing to continue this
nursery activity, but were uncertain of where to market their produce. Nursery rising is an income
generation activity for poor landless people. Nursery raising, foreshore plantation and maintenance in
the talagavara village are a new intervention being carried out in the village. Community members
participated in large numbers on the day of environmental day. In low rainfall foreshore areas, the
technique adopted is pitting and planting of fast growing species of Bamboo, Dalbergia sisoo, Acacia
arculiformis, Pongamia glabra, silver oak raised in polythene bags. The survival percentage is high
i.e. more than 82.4, 79.3, 78.2, 64.2 per cent and growth is also commendable. Planting of
Dalbergiasisu, Acacia arculiformis in foreshore areas of community based tanks with low rainfall
areas which are degraded and encroached has been converted into highly productive areas of fuel
wood to meet the requirement of fuel wood demand. The technique and choice of species is best
suited for the low rainfall areas.

847 JECET; June 2015- August 2015; Sec. A; Vol.4.No.3, 843-848.

Foreshore… Sreenivasa and Fauzie

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

One of the authors, Mr. Sreenivasa is grateful to Dr. P. Boregowda, Executive Director of JSYS-SPU-
Bangalore for providing financial assistance, and the opportunity to be District Environmental
Specialist.

REFERENCES

1. Karnataka Community Based Tank Management Project

JalasamvardhaneYojanaSangha (JSYS), Website: www.jsysindia.org.
2. N. Parveen, B.K. Anand, N. Deepa, N. Latha and K.V. Raju. Drinking water
quality in urban areas. Why and how it is getting worse, 4th IWMI TATA
Annual Partners Meet Institute for Rural Management Anand, 2005.

Corresponding Author: Sreenivasa;

Environmental Specialist, JSYS District Project Unit, Chintamani Chikkaballapura District,
Karnataka, India

848 JECET; June 2015- August 2015; Sec. A; Vol.4.No.3, 843-848.