Ponnakkaneri - A success story
Ponnakkaneri, a multi-caste hamlet 15 km from Mudukulathur, Ramanathapuram district, has 200 families. The hamlet has one irrigation tank and two oorani s. The tanks and oorani s receive water from the Valanadu feeder channel. In 1994, Ponnakkaneri Tank Farmers Association (TFA) was formed and the reclaiming work was done. In 1995 the TFA deepened the oorani by contributing 33 per cent of the expense. Each hamlet offered free labor to do 4000 cu.m. earthwork. In addition inlet channels with shutter arrangements, steps, fences, and ring wells were provided. The work increased the oorani capacity to 9000 cu.m. This oorani has not dried up so far.
The association put the sum received for the work from the Government (67 per cent) as common fund. In 2000, DHAN under its tank endowment fund programme gave Rs.16000 which was matched by the community with an another Rs. 16000. Rs.32000 was placed as fixed deposit for five years. In 2002, when the villagers wanted another oorani as the population was growing, the TFA used the common fund to buy land for the new oorani .
Immediately after the rain, people do not tap the run-off for half an hour to one hour. After that they divert it to the oorani for maximum storage. If the run-off from the channel is inadequate or the monsoon withdraws earlier than expected, villagers pump water from the near-by tank into the oorani . Similarly just before the last irrigation villagers pump the tank water into the oorani. |
