‘Mazhathavalam’ to recharge district’s groundwater table One lakh pits to be constructed under Rs.4.80-crore project of district panchayat The district panchayat on Wednesday rolled out ‘Mazhathavalam,’ a scheme aimed at constructing around one lakh rainwater harvesting pits in the district. Agriculture Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar launched the scheme by laying the foundation for a concrete well in Karakulam panchayat. As part of the scheme, to be implemented under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), one lakh groundwater recharging pits will be dug in 1,399 wards in the 73 grama panchayats in the district by August 15. MGNREGS mission director had given the approval to take up the work in the district during the current financial year, a note issued by the district panchayat said. The concrete pits will be 1.5 metre in length, 1 metre in width and 75 cm in depth and will hold least 750 litres of water. The cost of constructing a pit has been worked out to be around Rs.480. The entire project will cost Rs.4.80 crore 2 lakh job days The project will help create 2 lakh job days. Grama panchayats should submit the action plan before July 15. The Vigilance Monitoring Committee at the ward level will monitor the implementation of the programme under MGNREGS. The committee will also monitor proper maintenance of the pits, the note said. In his inaugural address, Mr. Sunil Kumar said the initiative could be emulated by civic bodies across the State. “It is a programme that could go a long way in addressing drought and environmental issues. This initiative could be implemented by the local bodies,” he said. The Minister complimented the panchayat for its plan to make fallow land cultivable. Others who attended the programme include C. Divakaran, MLA, district panchayat president V. K Madhu, vice president A. Shailaja Begum and secretary K. Chandrasekharan Nair.