DAKSHINA PINAKINI RIVER REJUVENATION PROJECT

A BRIEF PROFILE

DAKSHINA PINAKINI RIVER REJUVENTION TRUST®

549, 14TH Main Road, Sector 7, HSR Layout, Bangalore- 560102
Email : dakshinapinakinitrust@gmail.com
Contact Numbers : 9845024171 / 8867700133
Introduction:

DakshinaPinakini is one of the six small rivers that originate from Nandi hills, about 50 Km
from Bengaluru. It flows through Karnataka for about 100 Kms and Tamilnadu for 300 Kms
and drains into Bay of Bengal. The river is also called as Dakshina Ganga in Karnataka and
South Pennar / Ponnair in Tamilnadu. Historically perennial and prosperous, it has found
respectful and grateful mention in ancient literature. It is also unique in that it is
independent throughout its course – neither a tributary to a major river nor have any
tributary to itself. Its sustainability through the ages has been ensured by annual rainfall of
about 700 to 900 mm and 3500 manmade tanks and lakes, on its both sides with in the
Karnataka’s basin of about 4500 SqKms. It has also assumed considerable importance as it
flows through Bengaluru, the World famous Garden City with most salubrious climate
imaginable; a city which is possibly the most cosmopolitan in the country and the silicon
valley of the east.

Present Status of the River:

It is a pity that this river which has been a divine source of civilized and cultured living of
lakhs of people is almost extinct today. The reasons for the current degenerated state of the
river are:-

 Absence of Scientific Systematic and Comprehensive harvesting of the rain

endowment
 Lack of concerted efforts towards maintenance and upkeep of the very course of the
river and the various types of water bodies like wells, ponds, tanks and lakes
 Indiscriminate and greedy exploitation of the groundwater, without compensatory
recharge measures
 The non-evolution of A single authority to assess, develop and manage the water
resources in a sustainable way
A New Learning:
More than one crore human population who are now inhabiting in this river basin are not
getting adequate supply of water for drinking, domestic use and agriculture and related
activities. Almost 3,00,000 lakhs hectares of cultivable land which has the potential of
growing 2 or 3 crops every year are now giving one crop. Similarly, the entire population are
not getting even 100 litres of water per day per capita as against the World Health Standard
of about 250 litres. It is therefore only absolutely necessary that a well thought out plan of
action is initiated towards reviving this River.
The River regime has certainly undergone a drastic change in its hydrological characteristics
and demands a new understanding and learning by all. Further, the skewed temporal
distribution of rainfall in the recent past has also necessitates a new and different approach
to handle the hydrological regime. Fortunately, the wisdom, the passion and the vision
required for the purpose is available but scattered across various individuals, institutions
and local community.
The Proposed Project:
The present project has brought together the best brains in the Scientific community, Social
Scientists, the Technologists, Professional Managers and also the wisdom of the local
community and has developeda plan for rejuvenating and bringing in sustainable
development and management of the water resources in the basin for the benefit of various
stakeholders. The project aims to develop awareness, skills and knowledge amongst the
local community and the governance in optimal and sustainable management of water
resources in the DakshinaPinakini River Basin.
What does the Project entail?

In simple terms, the rejuvenation of the river implies, in the rural areas, watershed
development of the entire cultivable lands in the basin area: restoration of the historically
built up lakes, tanks and open wells : recharging of all the borewells that have been dug up
in the past few decades and in the urban area, restoration of all the lakes and
comprehensive and scientific rain water harvesting.

The Major Works that are required to be taken up :-

1. Watershed development of about 3,00,000 hectares cultivable lands which would

improve the soil fertility and surface and sub surface water resources.
2. Restoration of about 3050 Tanks in the Rural Areas, Recharging of 1, 10,000 Bore wells,
Restoration/ Reconstruction of about 42,000 open wells, Rejuvenation of all Kalyanis.
3. Replacement of all water guzzling Eucalyptus Trees in the entire Basin Area.
Afforestation in rural / semi urban / urban areas by mobilizing resources and seedlings.
Facilitating Forest, Ecology and Environment Departmental works in the river basin area.
4. Comprehensive and detailed Organic farming measures.
5. Restoration and Development of more than 150 Lakes in Bengaluru City (North, East
and South Taluks). Recharging of about 4, 00,000 Bore wells, Open wells and Kalyanis.
6. Establishment of Sewage Treatment Plants for each of the Lakes. Undertaking Scientific
and effective Rainwater harvesting in all the open areas of the City.
7. Measures for the sustained maintenance, upkeep and conservation of all lakes and the
statutory buffer Zones.
8. Supplementing and complimenting the efforts of BWSSB, BBMP, Lake development
authority, BDA and State Pollution Control Board.
9. Establishment of futuristic World Class Education Institutions in Water Resources
management and Organic Farming.

Socio-Economic and Environmental Impact of the Project:

 1. The Rejuvenation of the river is expected to bring in phenomenal changes in the very
Socio- Economic character of the entire basin area leading to improved ecological
balance, higher Agricultural production and higher availability of water for domestic
use.

2. It is expected that almost 50 lakh Bangalorens living in the river basin area would
start getting protected and uninterrupted water supply.

3. It has been projected that the comprehensive soil improvement and water
conservation measures that would be undertaken under the project would result in a
steep increase in the productivity of the cultivable land, like a 20% increase in the
production of maize and pulses, 15 % increase in ragi, 25% increase in the fruit
production and 35% increase in vegetables.

4. Apart from this direct impact, it is expected that the productivity in the allied sectors
of dairy, sericulture, poultry and animal husbandry is bound to increase due to
improved availability of fodder and feed, like 35% rise in milk production, 30% in
eggs and 25% in meat.

5. The value of the increased production in all these areas is projected at around
Rs.1500 Crores every year (A payback period of one year!) .

6. This would obviously also mean that the per capita income of the farmers will
increase by about 25% in the first year itself.

7. Above all, the long term sustainability of the very ecological and environmental
wealth of the basin area in terms of the permanent structures would be a priceless
outcome.

Cost Estimates and Time Schedule:

With a view to executing this project in the most professional manner, the DakshinaPinakini
River Rejuvenation Trust, consisting of Scientists, Technologists, Water management
Specialists, Social Activists, Farmers, Financial Experts and experienced Administrators has
been established, with full financial and management autonomy

The Trust has estimated that the fund requirements of the project would be of the order of
Rupees two thousand five hundred crores.

A project of this importance, magnitude and diversity will succeed only if it is executed the
most expeditiously, all in one go. It is therefore proposed that all the components of the
project should be taken up in tandem and completed in a period of three years.