1.

1 RURAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

India is predominantly a land of villages. A major portion of the Indian population (around
72% of population) resides in villages because Indian economy is an agrarian economy. Today,
there are more than six lakh villages in India.

As of 2019 there is a total of 664369 villages up from the 649481 in the 2011 census of india
and 638365 recorded in 2001 census of India, the beauties of villages are described by the way
villagers happily live in the small huts or a home, made by clay or mud. A big open area with
trees at the front and a vegetable garden at the backyard, surrounded by the bamboos. But there
are some reasons that the rural community setting where not been improved and there is
awareness need to be made for several development.

To addressing all these problem rural development policies, relating to rural economy, social
sector protection etc, such as the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), National Rural
Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), etc are introduced. Rural area is where the people are engaged
in primary industry in the sense that they produce things directly for the first-time cooperation
with nature, rural area are separately settled places away from the influences of large cities and
towns. such area is distinct from more intensively settled urban and sub urban area and also
from unsettled lands or wideness, such as forest. They can have an agricultural character though
many rural areas are characterized by an economy based on cottage industry, mining, oil and
gas exploration or tourism.

Lower population density, less social differentiation, less social and spatial mobility, slow rate
of social change, and other factors can all be used to classify a community as rural. Agriculture
is the primary source of income for rural residents. The development of village is influenced
by the policies and community reach towards the rural setting. As most of the village is existing
with high sense of unity and feeling of belongingness towards each other. The primary
occupation would be agriculture.

Rural community engagement undoubtedly, opens up several possibilities & opportunities for
enhancing developmental processes. The programmes/schemes being implemented include the
centrally sponsored schemes such as Swarnjayanti Gram Samridhi Yojana, Sampoorna

1
Grameen Rozgar Yojana, Indira Awaas Yojana, and state schemes comprising the central
sector of National Social Assistance Programme, Community Development Schemes. Indra
Awas Yojana revamped as Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awass Yojana in 2016 is a welfare
programme created by the Indian Government to provide housing to rural poor people in India.
The goal of this scheme is to provide home to all citizens till 2022. The problem of rural
development, however, is not merely one of development of rural areas but of the development
of rural communities to dispel ignorance and poverty and assist the process of creating a self-
reliant and self-sustaining, healthy modern little community. Rural development can no longer
be now identified with mere increase in country’s GDP or even per capita national income.

There would be a surplus of productive assets, skills, and labour more equitably distributed. As
a result, it concentrates the importance of establishing sustainable rural communities rural
clusters that are functional and have better housing, energy supplies that are reliable and
convenient, sufficient transportation and communication infrastructure that connect it to the
rest of the globe, and appropriate health and educational facilities, as well as credit and financial
services places that have been revitalised culturally and are no longer Caste barriers and other
barriers divide the population.

Feudal divisions based on ownership of land as well as professional by group of faculty

members from across Central and State universities in India. A community development
approach to engagement can empower communities to take responsibility for their own health
care understanding rural place facilities alignment between health program and community
assist in cooperating community resources into health care and provide information about
health needs rural communities health services and other community organization need skills
in working together to develop effective partnership that transfer some power from health
system rural engagement with national state agender is a challenge Community engagement
takes time and resources but can be expected to loads to better health outcomes for rural
resistance.

University education in India has been adopting several strategies for building the spirit of
Community Service in students. Currently, there is no prescribed curriculum for inculcating
this spirit among the students. Hence, it is imperative that a Rural Community Engagement
curriculum be developed which can be offered as a compulsory course to all the students. In
order to bridge the gap between the expectations and actual practices, there is a need to integrate

2
two important aspects in the proposed curriculum viz., Living and Learning. There is also an
impending need for the engagement of the enthusiastic young generation, in the course of their
education, about local community issues and challenges prevalent in the rural community.
Currently, there is a huge gap between the textual knowledge and evolving contextual practices
of rural India.

Rural India which is prone to various natural disasters like the floods, landslides, droughts and
cyclones has to build disaster resilience. Disaster resilience is the community’s ability to
anticipate, and wherever possible, prevent or minimize the potential damage on account of a
disaster. It covers community coping capacity, to maintenance of certain basic functions and
structures under all climatic conditions, and to recover and adapt to the changes that occur as a
result. Community engagement by students also tries to aid this requirement of the society. A
draft curriculum on Rural Engagement has been developed based on group discussions the goal
of national policy should be to rebuild and grow the rural sector in such a way that income
generated by ownership flows into the economy.

The scores of development schemes, largely being implemented through the Ministry of Rural
Development aim at alleviating rural poverty, generating employment and removing hunger
and malnourishment accompanied by the enrichment of the quality of human life.

3
 1.2 ABOUT THE VILLAGE

Melakondaiyur is a Village in Tuvalu Taluk in Tiruvallur District of Tamil

Nadu State, India. It is located 15 KM towards East from District headquarters
Tiruvallur,15 KM from Tiruvallur,33 KM from State capital Chennai Vadattur (3 KM),
Puliyur (3 KM) , Koyambakkam (3KM) , Velliyur ( 4 KM ) , Kadavur ( 4 KM ) are the
nearby Villages to Melakondaiyur. Melakondaiyur is surrounded by Tiruvallur Taluk
towards west, Ellapuram Taluk towards North, Poondi Taluk towards west, Sholavaram
Taluk towards East. Thirunindravur, Tiruvallur, Ambattur, Ponneri are the nearby Cities
to Melakondaiyur. Demographics of Melakondaiyur Tamil is the Local Language here.

Gram Panchayat name of the Melakondaiyur village is Melakondaiyur, Sivanvoya. CD

Block name is Tiruvallur and Teshil/Taluk or sub-district is Tiruvallur. Data Reference
year is 2009 of Census 2011. Sub District HQ Name is Tiruvallur and Sub District HQ
Distance is 12 Km from the village. District Head Quarter name is Tiruvallur and its
distance from the village is 12Km. Nearest Town of the Melakondaiyur village is
Thirunindravur and nearest town distance is 7 km. Pincode of Melakondaiyur village is
602024. As per census 2011 village code of village Melakondaiyur is 629022.

Population Area (Ha) Density (P/Ha) Sex ratio

2780 556.4 4 1038

Total population Male population Female population

2780 1364 1416

The total geographical area of village is 556.4 hectares. Melakondaiyur has a total
population of 2,780 peoples, out of which male population is 1,364 while female
population is 1,416.

4
Out of total poplation total 1890 people in Melakondaiyur Village are literate, among
them 1030 are male and 860 are female in the village. Total literacy rate of of
Melakondaiyur is 76.55%, for male literacy is 85.05% and for female literacy rate is
68.36%.

Here are the data that are presented according to the census 2011,

Description census 2011 data

Village name Tiruvallur

Tehsil name Tiruvallur

District name Tiruvallur

State name Tamil Nadu

total population 705

Total male population 1364

Total female population 1416

Total literate person 1890

Total male literates 860

Total female literates 890

Total male illiterates 334

Total female illiterates 556

Schedule cast person 1265

Scheduled tribe persons 0

5
Work profile(basics) Total Male Female

Total worker 1298 825 473

Main worker 1035 753 282

Main workers cultivator 120 100 20

Agriculture labourer 409 259 150

Household industries 9 4 5

Other workers 497 390 107

Marginal workers 263 72 191

Non-working person 1482 539 943

6
 2.1 PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION:

There are many problems been faced by the people of Melakondaiyur village which is located
in Tiruvallur district. The major and most important problems are been explained below:

1. No proper street lights

There is no availability of street lights in the village which is a major root cause of many
problems like accidents cases during the nights and other crimes been happening like chain
snatching etc. implementation of proper street lights could reduce the risk of these cases and
develop the village as a whole.

2. Need for conservation of groundwater

There are good sources of water to provide the essential water to the village but because of lack
of knowledge to store and recharge water these people face water crises at times which has
been worsen during the summers. A good recharge technique can bring this problem to an end
with proper implementation.

The main source of drinking water is boring wells, springs, lakes, reservoirs. The technique
should also be cost effective and convenient for the people to use as there are both literate and
illiterate people. Many people of the village depend on the ground water for drinking and
irrigation purpose, so therefore proper recharge techniques could improve the village as a
whole by improving the standards by way of agriculture.

3. Problems faced because of wasp

While the corona rate was very high the problem of wasp in the Melakondaiyur was also
relatively high, where the government interference in this problem was not there only the
volunteers in the village undertook measures to solve the problem by providing the corrective
measures. There are many volunteers who came up to help the people of their village without
considering the risk caused by the wasp.

4. Bonded labour

In this village there is still the problem of bonded labour, where the people sent their children
for work for their livings, they used to travel to places where is availability of such jobs which

7
make them transfer them from place to place affecting the health of the children and the people,
without proper food and the children also do not get proper education. children get affected
badly during these cases where they are sent to work when they were supposed to study and
build the future.

5. Lack of safety

There is absence of surveillance camera and security measures in the Melankondaiyur village
which is the root cause of many major problems been faced by the village. Surveillance camera
could provide an overall safety, prevent shoplifting and theft, prevent fraud, can prevent
employee theft, improves safeguards, protects against burglary, lowers the risk of vandalism,
cost effective and scalable etc.

6. No proper transport

Another major problem this village faces is the absence of proper transport. Only two
government MTC buses are available for the entire village for transportation. Where everyone
cannot afford to travel by their own vehicle or by auto or another means of transportation.
Students who wish to go their school or college cannot travel because of improper transport
facility which do not encourage them to go to school. On the other hand, people who go for
work are affected badly because of the improper transportation.

These timings buses which comes one in morning and another in the evening is very
inconvenient for the people to travel from one place to another. During emergency it is very
difficult for the people to travel as there are totally dependent on the public transport as it cost
efficient and convenient for the people to travel.

Many people are been dead on the way to their hospital. So, implementation of proper public
transport is always very important to improve the standard of the village.

7. Problems faced during covid

During the covid times where there were many areas people suffered without food, water and
money Melakondaiyur is also one of them which faced a serious food problem during the year
2020-2021. The head of the village (village thalaivar) took initiative to provide proper food for
the people who cannot even afford money for a meal. This initiative was welcomed by many.
Though the village has a whole was affected by the covid he took initiative from his own money

8
to save people and still this problem is not been addressed by the government and no proper
help was done to them.

8. Improvement in agriculture

The melakondaiyur is a village where it has a rich soil and good harvesting facility, with proper
irrigation and water facility the village can yield more and thus it helps to increase the economy
of the village and it could ultimately benefit the people in the village. Many new advanced
techniques and methods can be followed to improve the overall standards. Thus, by proper
implementation the village can be improved in many ways.

9. Improvement in education system

The literacy rate in the village is almost 50% of the people are literate and 50% are illiterate.
Good education and transport facility could even increase the literacy rate. The knowledge and
the importance of the education should be given to the people of the village so that the parents
of the children do not send them for work while they study. And similarly proper transport and
food facility should be done by the government to encourage the students to go for schools and
colleges. There are both primary and higher secondary schools available for the benefit of the
children in the village. But through proper transport and knowledge about education can only
bring a change among the people.

10. Unemployment:

Individuals in rural areas basically dependent on agricultural activities or small and marginal
works in nearby urban areas. unemployment in rural areas can be of three types they are open
unemployment, disguised unemployment, educated rural unemployment. As the opportunities
in the rural areas are limited, they are started migrating in search of job. The unemployment
rate in Melakondaiyur village is 32% and many people are unaware the need to treat this
problem. The major causes of unemployment are lack of basic literacy skills, lack of
information, decent work deficit, skills mismatch, lack of work training etc.

9
The above listed are the major problems identified and the important problem that need to be
addressed is the groundwater conservation which can have a huge impact on the village. Proper
groundwater conservation can save the water and help the people during the deficit period.
There is no proper awareness and knowledge among the people for water storage if proper
measures are undertaking the water problems do not arise in that village.

There are more than 2500 people living in that village where majority of them are farmers and
most of the people depend on agriculture and there is availability of hand pumps for the water
to be used for drinking cooking and other purposes. In such a situation water plays a major
role. They used to save the water only by tanks and other private wells etc.

And during rainy days they have no proper ways to save the rain water and rain water
harvesting is absent in that village. During the summers they face many water problems
because of the non-availability of water. As said earlier for irrigation purpose water is very
essential to yield more crops but in the case of improper water storage the yield of crops can
be affected which in the affects the people and thus the village as a whole. Groundwater is the
most important thing that we need to survive so proper storage of water is essential.

During any natural disasters, it was very difficult for the people without water. No help could
be done in that crucial stage without proper water storage plans. People usually in rural areas
used to save water by means of water tank where water is collected through pipes from the
underground. Water stored in it can be used for drinking, agriculture, farming, both the plants
and the lives tocks. Water supply to the village is sourced by groundwater or surface water. So,
a proper technique should be implemented with low cost and appropriate water distribution
system.

Though there are many ways to collect water groundwater is by far the most practicable choice
and it can be easily used by way of hand pumps. In more than half of rural households depend
upon hand pumps as their main source of drinking water because it is cost effective and simple
technology offer the potential for quick intervention under public programs. Though they are
several ways in the village to get the underground water by ways of tanks, bore wells etc. there
is no proper way to save them. There are both literate and illiterate people living there but the
initiative of bringing new techniques cannot be done because of its own limitation and cost.

10
 2.2 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

• This study explored the problems faced by the Melakondaiyur and gives report on the
problems.
• Also provides the required suggestion to the pointed problems of the village through
referring several literatures.
• The major problem that is been focused is the irregularity of groundwater in the village.
• To improve the groundwater level through the adoption of soak pit techniques by the
village community of Melakondaiyur.
• Explored the various other techniques of artificial groundwater recharge.
• Conservation and storage of excess surface water for future requirement.
• To improve the quality of existing groundwater through dilution.
• Introducing the low budget techniques in recharging the groundwater so that the
groundwater table would be increased.

11
 2.3 NEED AND SCOPE FOR THE STUDY

Need for the study

In Melakondaiyur there observed the people are greatly relay on the groundwater for their
utility and there also some irregularity of the water in some period that may be due to dry
seasons etc. And also observed no implementation or establishment in conserving or treatment
of water like rain water harvesting techniques in increasing the surface water. So, by the
adopting the artificial groundwater technique the level of the groundwater can maintained to
meet the daily demand of the rural setting. Here this study explored the feasible techniques for
the recharge process. As the water been the major resource for the people sustainability so the
major importance is given in conserving and storing the groundwater so that the sustainable
need for the people can be meet accordingly.

Scope of the study

• As this study explored the various artificial groundwater recharge techniques that may
utilized for the improvement of the groundwater level
• Adoption of the soak pit technique as mentioned in this study may help the people of
that village to improve the groundwater and be the remedy for the irregularity of the
groundwater.
• This recharge technique may also provide an alternative benefit in maintaining the
wastewater that has been collected from the household.
• As the treatment of the wastewater and collecting the rainwater may also help maintain
the village as clean and so on.
• Also helps in maintain sustainability of the village and protect the environment from
the unwanted wastage of the disposal of the drainage.
• The artificial groundwater recharge techniques that are been listed may also used by
farmers to increase the groundwater and surface water table.
• The increase in the surface water and groundwater may help the farmer in irrigation.
• Effective irrigation pattern may result increase the crop growth and result in greater
cultivation of crops.

12
 2.4 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

• This study provides suggestions fully based on the literature reviews without any
experimental study.
• There is time constrain while conducting this study.
• There also the cost constrain too.
• There is need for the knowledge of groundwater, rainfall scale and the quality of the
soil.
• Also need for understanding the identification of areas for recharge.
• Lack of reliable data about the village.

13
 2.5 REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Reddy M et al (2020) conducted study on the ground water problem and the artificial recharge
techniques in Musunuru, that is primarily a human planned activity to increase the quantity of
groundwater available by making groundwater aquifers in order to increase the amount of the
groundwater for utilization. Also, introduced the low budget design and daily usable technique
for the efficiently recharge the groundwater called soak pit design. This study concludes by
stating that it provides the top result in recharging the groundwater.

Bhattacharya AK (2010) state the artificial groundwater recharging essentialness and also
augmenting the benefits of natural infiltration of precipitation or surface water into
underground by undertaking several technical methods. This study also provides the feasibility
in adopting the artificial groundwater recharging methods by explaining the different dynamics
of the methods that can be adopted. Providing the advantages and disadvantages with the
specification that are needed in implementation of the system with highlighting the importance
of the measures that should be taken after the implementation.

Yadav et al (2021) reviewed on the artificial groundwater spotting the important of the
availability water and the importance of the groundwater for both the domestic and agricultural
utilization by exploring several technologies in artificially recharging the water underground
in order to increase the level of the salient water.

Giordano M (2009) study states the global groundwater issues and the solutions relating to the
management of the groundwater. That explains majority of the water that are used for drinking
and other day to day activities are comes from the groundwater and it greatly contributing
livelihood of the people around the world. The need for the management of the groundwater is
implied as there would result in unsustainable, leading to social conflicts or decline in
groundwater economy.

Kwoyiga L & Stefan C (2019) study states completely regarding the feasibility in
implementing the manage aquifer recharge in northwest Ghana. It analyses the importance of
the groundwater during the dry-season and also observes the difficulties that the farmers are
facing during that time. Also, the constrains in adopting the technology into action, both sides
of the government policies as well as the local knowledge are analyzed. The study concluded
that there is a need for the study on the actual demand of the groundwater during dry-season
farming and the land use.

14
Veeranna J & Jeet P (2020) This study explored the groundwater recharge various methods
with regard to case studies. The classified methods such direct and indirect methods in
recharging the groundwater. That these methods are may adopted to manage the groundwater
level so that the problems like reduction in the groundwater may be effectively solved. This
study concludes that the artificial groundwater recharge technology is very effective to increase
the water table and groundwater availability. The main primary importance is that it meets the
demand of spatial water productivity and availability at regional and global scale.

15
 3.1 SUGGESTIONS

Considering the above problem, we explored various artificial groundwater recharge methods
to improve the groundwater through recharging the groundwater by adopting the suitable
method.

Artificial recharge to ground water is defined as the recharge that occurs when the natural
pattern of recharge is deliberately modified to increase recharge. The term artificial recharge
refers to transfer of surface water to the aquifer by human interference. The natural process of
recharging the aquifers is accelerated through percolation of stored or flowing surface water,
which otherwise does not percolate into the aquifers. It is also defined as the process of
augmenting ground water at a rate greater than that of natural replenishment. It aims at
augmenting the natural replenishment of ground water storage by some method of construction,
spreading of water, or by artificially changing natural conditions. It is useful for reducing
overdraft, conserving surface run-off, and increasing available ground water supplies.
Recharge may be incidental or deliberate, depending on whether or not it is a by-product of
normal water utilization.

Natural replenishment of ground water reservoir is a slow process and is often unable to keep
pace with the excessive and continued exploitation of ground water resources in various parts
of the country which resulted in declining ground water levels and depletion of ground water
resources in such areas. So, the Artificial recharge efforts are basically aimed at augmentation
of the natural movement of surface water into ground water reservoir through suitable civil
construction techniques.

Such techniques interrelate and integrate the source water to ground water reservoir and are
dependent on the hydrogeological situation of the area concerned. Occurrence of rainfall in
India is mostly limited to about three months in a year. And also, the natural recharge to ground
water reservoir is restricted to that period only in a major part of the country. Because of these
reasons Artificial recharge techniques are adopted at extending the recharge period in the post-
monsoon season for about three or more months, resulting in enhanced sustainability of ground
water sources during the lean season.

Artificial recharge techniques have to be adopted for diverting most of the surface storage to
the ground water reservoirs within the shortest possible time. The reason for artificial recharge

16
of the groundwater as to control of salt-water encroachment, filtration of water, control of land
subsidence etc.

From the point of view of artificially storing water for future use, the basic requirement is to
be able to obtain water in adequate amounts and at the proper times in order to accomplish this
goal. Artificial recharge is becoming increasingly necessary to ensure sustainable ground water
supplies to satisfy the needs of a growing population.

There are several methods undertaken in artificial groundwater recharge techniques such as,

1. Direct method
• Surface spreading techniques
• Sub surface techniques
2. Indirect method
3. Combination of the above two methods

Direct method –Surface spreading techniques

Surface spreading techniques aimed at increasing the contact area and residence time of surface
water over the soil to enhance the infiltration and to augment the ground water storage in
phreatic aquifers. That this method helps to store the surface water which is directly conveys
into an aquifer without infiltration and water percolates naturally through the unsaturated zones
of soil profile and join the groundwater table.

▪ Flooding/water spreading – It is most commonly used method that is suitable for

relatively flat topography. That the water is wide spread in the thin layer. Flooding
method helps reduce the evaporation losses from the surface water system, is the least
expensive of all artificial recharge methods available and has very low maintenance
cost. Higher rate of vertical infiltration is obtained. The potential area for the adoption
of this method is alluvial region of the country.
▪ Percolation tank- It can be defined as the surface of water body that is artificially
created in a highly permeable land submerged area so that the surface runoff is made to
percolate and recharge the groundwater storage. That is applicable in both alluvial as

17
 well as hard rock formations region. It is most prevalent structures in India because it
is used to measure the recharge the groundwater reservoir in highly permeable land
area.
▪ Ditch and furrow technology- This technology is mainly suitable for the areas where
is irregular topography, shallow and flat bottomed and closely spaced furrows or ditches
which provides more surface area under groundwater recharge through canal, river and
so on.
▪ Stream augmentation- It is a small stream containing gentle slope and applicable in
both hard rock as well as alluvial formation region. That is mainly confined to stream
course and its height is normally very less. To harness the maximum run off stream,
series of such check dams can be constructed. It is also act as a mini percolation tank.

Direct method- Sub-surface spreading technique

▪ Injection well- Injection wells or recharge wells are structures similar to bore/tube
wells but constructed for augmenting the ground water storage in deeper aquifers
through supply of water either under gravity or under pressure. The aquifer to be
replenished is generally one with considerable desaturation due to overexploitation of
ground water. Artificial recharge of aquifers by injection wells can also be done in
coastal regions. Water available for groundwater recharging is to be fairly treated for
elimination of suspended material, chemical stabilization and bacterial manipulation.
Injection wells may be designed to recharge a single aquifer or multiple aquifers. A
proper understanding of the aquifer geometry is the most important factor in
implementation of successful recharge schemes through injection or recharge wells.
Detailed studies of the vertical and lateral extents of the aquifer and its characteristics
are necessary prerequisites for such schemes. Grain size distribution of granular
aquifers is another important parameter in the case of sedimentary aquifers.
▪ Dug well recharge- It is suitable in both alluvial as well as hard rock areas having
depth up to 50 meters. This is structured by the way that can be directly recharge
through the diverted reservoirs, storm water etc. Ordinary dug well, borewell and tube
wells can be used for recharging of groundwater recharge takes place by gravity flows.

18
 ▪ Recharge pit and shaft-It the most efficient and cost-efficient structures to recharge
the aquifers directly and their areas where impervious layer is encountered at shallow
depth. It is not hydraulically in connection with surface water.
Indirect method

Indirect method does not directly allow the supply of water for the artificial recharge of the
groundwater. It aims to recharge the ground water in an indirect method. The most common
methods in this category are induced recharge from surface water sources and aquifer
modification techniques.

▪ Induced recharge- Induced recharge involves pumping water from an aquifer, which
is hydraulically connected with surface water to induce recharge to the ground water
reservoir. Once hydraulic connection gets established by the interception of the cone of
depression and the river recharge boundary, the surface water sources start providing
part of the pumping yield. In the presence of the better hydrogeological condition, the
quality of the surface water can be improved through the adoption of the induced
recharge. The success of the induced recharge method is based on the selection of the
area where the water in the stream with the suitable velocity to prevent the slits.

Combination of the both the method of the artificial groundwater recharge method may
depends on the favourable hydrogeological conditions considering the above conditions the
combinations of the two alternative methods can be established.

As far the exploration of various methods here spotlighting a technique that are cost efficient
and the people in the village can adopt to recharge their groundwater in order to increase the
level of the groundwater. The technique is called as the soak pit design.

Soak pit, is also known as a soakaway or leach pit, is a covered, porous-walled chamber that
allows water to slowly soak into the ground. That pre-settle effluent from a collection and
storage technology is discharged to the underground chamber from which it infiltrates into the
surrounding soil.These are the interpretation on the benefits of the soak pit as they,

19
 ❖ It can be built with locally available material
❖ Small land area is required
❖ Low capital and low operating cost
❖ Recharging the groundwater and increase the level of the groundwater
❖ Techniques are simple and anyone can apply
❖ The village become drainage free

This technique allows the collection of the rainwater as well as the reusable wastewater. The
wastewater are percolates through the soil from the soak pits as the small particles are filtered
out by the soil matrix and organics are digested by microorganism. The waste effluent is
absorbed by the soil particles and move both horizontally and vertically through the soil pores.
That it is best suited for the soil with good absorptive properties.

Design of the soak pit

The soak pit consists of simple pit and that should be between 1.5 and 4m deep that be less
than 2m above the groundwater table. Making it in simple way that the rural setting can easily
implement the soak pit in their household with the budget of 2000 rupees that can be easily
installed within few days with the help of few workers.

Schematic of a soak pit. Source: Tilley et al. (2014)

First trench with 1.5 m diameter and depth of 3 m and the drum with 3 feet diameter that are
appropriate for one family with 300 consistent litres per day that are excavated manually. The
drum used here can be any reused one where 10 holes are made om the perimeter of the drum

20
with 7 rows of 14 mm diameter each hole. Then the trench should be filled with the aid of trade
layers of brickbats and boulders with mesh structure connection among the length 2 mm, every
layer’s thickness of 200mm. The water gets a lot filtered with the aid of this approach. Filling
aggregates approximately depth 15 to 25 cm after the position of the drum which used for
gathering the wastewater. Thereafter 10 to 15 cm height of the sand layer is provided after the
aggregate. Test the height of the drum which has to be 15 to 20 cm below the floor level. Attach
the PVC elbow to source pipe and another end connected to the soak pit. Fix the pipe well and
keep cover on the drum. Cover the pit and make certain that pit will no longer damage from
any outside sources and if possible that assemble within the residence for its safety. that should
be made in the way that it can be opened for the maintenance purpose. The disposed of the
wastewater through soak pit needs some means so that the amount of quality has to be
accelerated. Wastewater after handled it could percolate into the ground and it will acquire the
groundwater level. The efficiency of the soak pit should be around 80 to 90%. (Reddy M et
al,2020)

These are the feasible techniques that can be adopted so that the groundwater level can be
maintained. The improvement in the groundwater level may help the people in that rural setting
to meet the need of the water during the dry-seasons.

21
 3.2 CONCLUSION

There are so many reasons in falling of the groundwater level such as increase in population,
climatic changes impact on the water resources and also booming groundwater irrigation etc.

As we observed many problems from this village and the basic source for sustainability and
for the livelihood is the availability of the adequate drinking water for both domestic and
agricultural use. For that purpose, the groundwater playing the major source in that rural setting
as analysed where there is a need for the recharge of the groundwater would help them to
maintain their water table level.

For the cycle of the basic life there should be some trade off like the farmer using the ground
water for irrigation purpose which results in the growth of the crops that satisfy the basic need
of the people around the world. Here the groundwater plays the major role in every walk of the
life.

This study concludes by exploring the various artificial groundwater recharge technique and
also suggesting the soak pit technique that can be adopted by the people in the village of
melakondaiyur in recharging their groundwater level. That provides a low budget technique
that can be adopted by the villager in an easy way so that they can be benefited through that.

By reviewing several literatures this technique is considered as the suitable in maintaining the
groundwater level. This method also helps in creating the environment healthy as the drainage
water can also be recycled through this technique and that would be greatly benefit for the
people in maintaining their day-to-day disposal of the waste. There also several limitations in
the technique that it must be maintained accordingly in order to avoid clogging, it requires the
period of renovation at least twice a year. Also limited in the amount of discharge considering
the volume. It is most suitable for household only for industries or any other organisation other
listed techniques can be adopted for the recharge of groundwater.

22
23
24
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

https://etrace.in/census/village/melakondaiyur-thiruvallur-district-thiruvallur-tamil-nadu-
629022

Tilley, E. (2014). Compendium of sanitation systems and technologies. Eawag.

Veeranna, J., & Jeet, P. (2020). Groundwater Recharges Technology for Water Resource
Management: A Case Study. In Groundwater Management and Resources. IntechOpen.

Reddy, M. S. S., Kumar, N. S., & Venkatesh, K. (2020). A study on ground water problems,
artificial recharge techniques in Musunuru. Materials Today: Proceedings, 33, 353-359.

Bhattacharya, A. K. (2010). Artificial ground water recharge with a special reference to

India. Int J Res Rev Appl Sci, 4(2), 214-221.

Yadav, A., Sonje, A., Mathur, P., & Jain, D. A. (2012). A review on artificial groundwater
recharge. Int. J. Pharm. Biosci, 3(3), 304-311.

Giordano, M. (2009). Global groundwater? Issues and solutions. Annual review of

Environment and Resources, 34(1), 153-178.

Kwoyiga, L., & Stefan, C. (2019). Institutional feasibility of managed aquifer recharge in
northeast Ghana. Sustainability, 11(2), 379.

https://sswm.info/factsheet/soak-pits

25