Uttar Pradesh Sodic Lands

Reclamation III Project

Uttar Pradesh Sodic Land Reclamation III Project (UPSLR IIIP) is a land
reclamation project in India, designed to reclaim 11,30,000 ha sodic lands in 28
sodic infested districts of the State of Uttar Pradesh. A pilot, to reclaim 5000 ha
ravine land in two districts .The project development objective of the Third Uttar
Pradesh (UP) Sodic Lands Reclamation Project for India is to increase agricultural
productivity of degraded lands in selected areas of UP.
Technique used for soil management
There are five components to the project
First component
 Project is on-farm development and land treatment.
 The objective of this component is to sustain ably reverse water-induced
land degradation-salinization, sodification and water-logging-through
carefully sequenced technical interventions on about 130,000 ha of sodic
lands

Second component
 The project is improvement of drainage systems.
 Objective of this component is to improve the drainage networks in the project
area to remove/leach effluents, excess rain, and irrigation water from
reclaimed and adjoining areas.

Third component
 Project is agriculture support services.
 The objective of this component is to increase agricultural productivity by
promoting improved technology, better agronomic practices, and more
effective provision of key support services.

Fourth component
 Project is institutional strengthening and capacity building for market
access.
 The objective of this component is to improve the profitability of farm
production and enhance livelihoods of the poor through improved
marketing, value addition and enhancement of skills.

Fifth component
 Project is project management.
 The obective of this component is to ensure smooth implementation of all
project activities, monitoring of project implementation progress, and
outputs/outcomes, and learning from project experience.
District coverage
29 districts have been selected for the project.
Azamgarh, Jaunpur, Ghazipur, Sant Ravidas Nagar, Pratapgarh, Sultanpur,
Ambedkar- nagar, Barabanki Lucknow, Unnao, Raebareli, Hardoi, Sitapur, Fatehpur,
Allahabad, Amethi, Kaushambi, Kanpur Nagar, Kanpur Dehat, Etawah, Auraiya,
Kannauj, Farrukhabad Aligarh, Bulandsahar, Firozabad, Mainpuri, Etah and
Kanshiram nagar.

Results
 Improved soil quality.
 Increased productivity.
 Higher cropping intensity.

https://projects.worldbank.org/en/projects-operations/project-detail/P112033

https://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/issue-food-security-india-case-sodic-land-
reclamation-uttar-pradesh-preserve-health-and

https://blogs.worldbank.org/endpovertyinsouthasia/reclaiming-indias-wastelands-fight-
climate-change

https://www.slideshare.net/ExternalEvents/exploiting-salt-affected-soils-and-poor-quality-
waters-for-food-security-in-india
Conservation and Land
Development through Rambans
(Agave) enhancing incomes of
the hill communities in degraded
lands.
The primary objective of the project:

 to treat land slide prone area

 to prevent soil erosion through Rambans plantation
 to create the base for income generation activities in the villages of Uttarakhand.
The Rambans plantation will provide a strong base for the people of the villages/communities to link
with other development schemes such as skill development schemes, design development schemes,
market linkages schemes to establish a common facility center (CFC) in the area.

Project Activities:
1. 1st Phase: Nursery will be developed.
2. 2nd Phase: Awareness programs will be organized by the organization to get good results for the
projects.
3. 3rd Phase: Plantation work will be done and training and skill up-gradation program will be
organized for the group of villagers.
4. 4th Phase: Production and marketing linkages will be done for sustainability of the project.

The specific results will be: The forest cover area will increase, it also provides protection to
grow new trees and plants inside plantation area without any further plantation of trees naturally, the
project will create opportunity for income generation in villages.

Project Characteristics and Results

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment
  Workshops will be organized on crop yielding, leaf cutting, fibre extraction, fibre
keeping, fibre storage, fibre maintenance, fibre cleaning, cutting etc.
 Meetings will be organized with the people of the village of Yamkeshwar and
Dugadda block of Pauri Garhwal district, to select suitable land for the plantation.
 Awareness programs will be conducted among the villagers. Short presentations will
be given in front of the villagers about the activities of the projects.

Gender Focus
 Major part of the villagers involved in the project will be women as they are more
involved with their land and other properties.
 The villagers will participate actively in the project implementation.
 Villagers will be involved for looking after the plantation sites from fire to prevent
damage by the harmful activities in the area, which will help in carrying out the
project in a better manner.
 Market links will be done for sustainability of the project through craft exhibition.

Policy Influence
 State government started promoting natural fiber.
 Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples
 The beneficiaries are not indigenous community.
 Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods
The project plans to ensure for retention as well as recharge the water level, waste land
development, protect bio diversity of the area.

Inovative Financial Mechanisms

The product will be advertised on their website www.gauras.org.

Policy Impact
 The project plans to increase Green belt in Uttarakhand, which could be the part of
income increment for the State Government, through Rambans (Agave) plantation.
 Activities will be carried out with the support of the government bodies like Office
of Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) in the ministry of textile
Government of India the leading government office of India for craft development,
to link them with the market support program.
 Funds will also be raised by the organization from the state govt./ central govt./
international organization from their promotional schemes.

Notable Community Participation

Women (including young girls) will be involved in the project activities.

Project sustainability
Women Self Help Groups and federations take up income generation activities and
marketing of fiber based products.

Project Results
 SHG’s/Villagers have their own setup of Raw material (fibre) extraction/collection
which is basic need for sustainable livelihood activities. Due to the own setup of fiber
collection & extraction participants/villagers/ SHG’s are able to extract the
Rambans fiber at their own village for the livelihood activity.

 Due to set up of the 5 syntax bio gas production units near the fiber extraction unit
in villages the stakeholders are able to reduce their spending on the LPG cylinders
and fertilizers as they are getting organic fertilizer from bio gas units.

 Newly formed SHG have their micro savings deposited in their bank accounts.

 SHGs planted sapling of Ramban in near by Forest Land in 75 acres for fiber
production i.e. 605 Kg of Rambans fibre is available with the NGO.
  Reduce 33.45 MT of Co2 emission.

Article on this project(translation is give in the next page)

Livelihood is becoming a means of choice and employment generation are becoming the
medium-rambans
Migration is a major problem of mountainous states. The state of Uttarakhand in particular
seems to be affected by it. Due to migration, the population of the villages there is
continuously decreasing and the increase in it is even more worrisome. Non-fulfillment of
their daily needs in the village environment, lack of means of employment in Gaon, etc.,
appear to be the main reasons. Due to this, most of the agricultural and fertile land here is
becoming barren. This barren land is continuously causing spread of weeds. Latana, carrot,
etc. can be spread rapidly in a large area here. These externally invasive weed species are
affecting both the environment and humans and animals and many environmental problems
are also appearing here. Keeping this problem in view, under the project in Uttarakhand, the
cultivation of Rambas in the barren land is being done to connect it with the livelihood of the
people. In Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, a 20-hectare model of Rambans has been duly
cultivated and the work of preparing various products from the Rambance show is being run
in it.
Various production of Rambans made in Uttarakhand became the center of special attraction
this time in Kumbh Mela. A large number of domestic and foreign tourists have shown a
desire to buy these products, neglected Rambans have brought great hope of magnification in
Uttarakhand. A project of National Himalayan Study Mission, Ramdas is not only becoming
a major medium of fire for the people in the migrating Pauri district or else a new study of
skill development in the region, under the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government
of India, research based in various Himalayan states It is conducting projects. Two years ago,
Girish Circle Industries and Fiber Production Committee Kimsar Pauri was given a project of
medium grant under livelihood options and employment generation. Conservation of local
ecology and wastelands. Planting and managing Rambas and villages
This project, which is aimed at improving livelihood from the availability of resources, is
doing remarkable work. Under the project till now, the goal of increasing the green area in
the area, employing more than 500 villagers from the region employment in which they can
make thoracic and connect and increase the fiber production in the area is approx. More than
7 lakh Rambans plants have been prepared and planted in more than 3 hectares of land.
Fiberglass peeling machines have also been installed in the villages of the project area
Kismar, Jalgaon Bamrara etc. Fiberglass Production During the protection of various
products, the local villagers have started producing 14 products including bags, bags, file
covers, mobile cars, topia from this fiber. These finished products have also been
demonstrated at various national levels. In the area, Rambans are being planted on landslide
thrust erosion lands in Hawari Khal and Bumshinar development blocks and villagers are also
showing great interest in this work. The huge demand in the market with the option of
plastics has aroused enthusiasm among the villagers. It is expected that in the coming time it
will take the form of a big industry. Graphic Aira University Dehradun has also been
included in this project as a support. Which is working on the possibilities of spread of agave
in relation to environmental changes in the region. More than two dozen self-help groups
associated with this work.
The country has been created by training in The project operators hope that in the coming few
years in the area, the wastelands will become completely green and as the forest area
increases, the area will get new dimensions in the field of employment and skills. Amid the
heavy migration in the area, it was initially a difficult task to create hope among the villagers
about this new work. It is known that, after continuous interaction with the villagers of the
National Himalayan Lenin, they are now showing interest in this work. They are constantly
experimenting with new products and efforts are being made to increase their market reach.
They are trying to give a big boost to this work in view of the huge demand in the products of
different parts of the country.
Mani Nahangi Sarees are preferred all over the world in the Arab countries. Like silk, lenin
and cotton it is in high demand in the world. Rambans products are highly favored by their
robustness and durable properties.
The plant of Rambans Asya Sahoyar is found in abundance in Uttarakhand. According to
agricultural experts, the Portuguese brought this plant to India in the 15th and later centuries.
After 1780, its fibers were used in various areas in India. Rambans bridges are very beautiful
and they are also used in many countries to make expensive wine and other drinks. In many
places, the work of fencing, milling of its coples and rope, mats, etc. of its fibers was
accelerated in India by 1980. It also entered Uttarakhand in the 18th century and agave has
already been used for fencing in agriculture, preventing erosion of land, etc. and fishing. The
easy-to-grow plant grows more in hot areas.
We will beat this whole in the years going by Rambans. Rambans occupies the land and it is
not even Bali farming affected by the tied creatures. So far, 20 women groups and 12
landowners have become normal.
-Sandeep Khandwa Project Head
This is a good example of enhancing skills for employment and producing products tailored
to the market, preventing migration from villages in Uttarakhand. There is also an
international demand for these products. The project work is notable.
- Kirit Kumar Nodal Officer National Study Mission
https://sgp.undp.org/spacial-itemid-projects-landing-page/spacial-itemid-project-search-
results/spacial-itemid-project-detailpage.html?view=projectdetail&id=22935
https://nmhs.org.in/pdf/success_story/Mr.%20Satish_Kandwal/1.%20RAMBANS.jpg
https://nmhs.org.in/pdf/Progress_Reports/QPR/Latest
%20QPR/Satish_Kandwal/QPR_1st_Oct_Dec_%202019.pdf

Rehabilitation of iron ore mine

wasteland in Goa
The Sanquelim Group of Mines belonging to M/s Sesa Sterlite Limited earlier known as Sesa
Goa Limited in North Goa District of Goa State covering an area of 203 Ha. After operating
for almost 4 decades, the major mining operations were discontinued in the late nineties
as it became uneconomical to mine the low grade. The Mining region of Goa has a typical
tropical climate with three main seasons winter season, summer season. The area receives
an annual rainfall of around 3500mm which accentuates the need to reclaim the
exhausted mining pits.Reclamation of mines consisted of afforestation, retaining some
portions of mine pits as water bodies to harvest rain water, use of existing building
infrastructure.

Afforestation
 Afforestation started at Sanquelim mines in Eighties.
 In 203 Ha., out of which around 105 Ha. has been effectively reclaimed by
afforestation.
 The mine pits were systematically back filled by forming benches making it
feasible for carrying out plantation.
 Company has planted more than 750,000 saplings.
 Initially Most of the areas were covered by planting fast growing plants like Acacia
auriculiformis and Casurina equisatifolia; species advocated and supplied by
State forest department, Government of Goa. The reason being the species are fast
growing, leguminous, and can grow on dumps without much aftercare and
irrigation. These species were basically planted as nurse crop so as to prevent
erosion on dumps and stabilize the dumps.
  Various systems of plantations like Horti- Silviculture were adopted. Most of the
horticulture crops growing in Goa to name a few Mango, Banana, Sapota, Guava,
Lemon, Pine apple, Cashew, Spices like Black pepper, Cinnamom, etc were planted
with success.
 The project with rubber board proved that the commertial crops like rubber can also
be successfully grown on mine reject soils.
 Use of leguminous cover crop like Plureria seeds were used to sow in the areas
under Accacia and Eucalyptus plantation. The Plureria creeper grew luxuriantly
over the trees and over the time killed the Accacia and eucalyptus plantations
naturally, thus making the stabilised land available for plantation of native species.

The above two photos showing the leguminous creeper of Plureria species used as cover
crop

Pisciculture project:
 Mine pits were also retained or converted in to water bodies by harvesting rain water.
 The Pisciculture project was taken up in 1990 , as a result the cultivation of fish could be
successfully carried out and the pit was abundant with fresh water fish like Rohu,
Katla, Common Carp etc. The project has also resulted in increase in bird and
butterfly activity in the area.
Reclaiming the Old Bulding Infrastructure
 The old infrastructure like buildings and work shops were put to productive use for a
very noble social cause.
 The mine work shop was converted in to a Technical school imparting education to
local youth and the residential quarters were converted in to Foot ball academy to
cater to the needs of the local community

Biodiversity Management Plan

After the success story of the various reclamation techniques. Sanquelim Mine Management
Plan was prepared in consultation with forest department where in the mature acacia
plantations were proposed to cut and to plant various native species to improve the
biodiversity of the areas.

Medicinal Garden
Two medicinal gardens namely Nakshatra Vatika and Charak Catika were developed. The
idea behind it was to spread awareness about medicinal plants .

Butterfly Park
Various plants identified as host and nectar plants( flowering plants) were planted on the
mine site, with an aim to attract butterflies. This has added to the beauty of the area also
increasing the biodiversity.

Bamboo Setum
Bamboo is one of the commercially important crop and with immense value. So with an aim
to promote bamboo cultivation, various species of bamboo were collected from all over India
with the help of state forest department and Forest Research institute , Dehradoon. More than
25 varieties of bamboos have been grown and each of them is identified.

Bamboo Pavillion
Further to support the cause of bamboo promotion, a huge structure made out of locally
available bamboo was constructed. This Bamboo Pavillion is used as a exhibition hall cum
training centre for self help groups etc

Studies Undertaken
In order to assess the reclamation status, it is very important to regularly carry out various
biodiversity studies. In a recent study by Canopy (Organisation formed by group of
environment experts in Goa) it was observed that there are 3 species of mammals, 70 species
of birds, 42 species of butterflies, 14 species of Odonates, 12 species of reptiles and 10
species of amphibians in the reclaimed mine area. This shows that the biodiversity of the area
has increased significantly.

Conclusion
Mine reclamation is one of the key ingredient of Sustainable Development. Reclamation process
does not necessarily means only plantation but also other aspects like water bodies, building
infrastructure etc. This case study shows that well planned and application of various scientific
techniques results in to a win win situation for the mining company as well as its stake holders.
The reclamation process should include interaction and coordination with various research
institutes or organisations. Mining and Concurrent reclamation helps to stabilise the area at a fast
pace. It is also very important to regularly assess the environmental status during the reclamation
process.

https://sesagoaironore.com/sustainability/hse/case-studies

Reclamation of ravines through

endogenous technology & ex-
situ conservation of local
biodiversity in Piprai
Panchayat of Morena District
in Madhya Pradesh
https://sgp.undp.org/spacial-itemid-projects-landing-page/spacial-itemid-project-search-
results/spacial-itemid-project-detailpage.html?view=projectdetail&id=11692

https://sgp.undp.org/spacial-itemid-projects-landing-page/spacial-itemid-project-search-
results/spacial-itemid-project-detailpage.html?view=projectdetail&id=13195