Collaboration as culture:  

EERAM, collaborative platform that changes the way departments work  

“Water is everyone’s business, it is a collective responsibility and requires alignment among all departments and civil society” says Krishnan Unni, District Collector Erode explaining his new initiative to create multi-stakeholder water management platform where decisions are taken to address the water related issues in Erode.  EERAM as it is called has participation of all departments especially RD, Local Bodies, Water resources and Revenue departments and civil society. They meet every week to sort out water related issues, assign tasks, take help and  make decisions.  “ It is not just a platform to share information, we are creating a culture of collaboration based on data with a clear focus on outcomes” says Madhubalan Additional District Collector.   

Infact the genesis of EERAM itself was from realization of lack of comprehensive data on water bodies in the district. “ When we had to address an encroachment in one of the tanks, we realsied, it was not under any department. This prompted us to collect full data  record it and  map it digitally” says Madhubalan.   

The geography of Erode makes it prone to water scarity, large part of the district is hills, receives lesser rainfall and drinking water itself is a perinial problem, seven blocks  the ground water has come down significantly and are over exploited. Inspite of having highest number of CWSS (Combined Water Service System) in the state, water need of the district couldn’t be fullfilled. The various departments in the district also have schemes for different water projects. These project though address the same objective work  on their own, without the data driven approach they remain unaware of what the others are doing, their learning and experience.  Each department will have its own criteria and parameters for constructing for example check dams, or water harvesting structures, “ the cross checking and cross learning can tremendously save time and money” says Krishnan Unni.  

With increasing water need for domestic, agriculture and industry, the district has to find sustainable, meaningful way to increase ground water levels, by harvesting rain water, increase green coverage, protect water bodies, and stop pollution. ”This requires coordination and collaboration of all departments and civil society with common mission to increase the water levels in every village” says the collector. With this goal in mind the EERAM identified projects, partners, and location where the impact could be significant. 

After analysing the existing data and holding series of meeting with different departments. Eeram was launched in November 2021. A set of projects that are critical are taken for close collaboration, execution and monitoring.   

This has reduced duplicity, any request for sanction water works will be signed by the collector only if no duplicity is ensured. The for the year 2022-23 departments have to submit the list of works to the EERAM committee. The committee will review the list and give suggestion.  

MrMadhubalan narrated how the committee resolved Punjaipalatholvau: PWD tank, which was one of the largest tanks in Erode in Chennimalai block. The has not received water for many years, but reviving this tank could solve the acute crisis of the block. The project was taken under Namaku Name thittam involving multiple stakeholders, including pollution control board. Today with the support EFI, 400 acre tank is revived and will get water from AthikadavuAvinashi project.  

Resolving interdepartmental issues has become easy with the committee in place, “Sometimes we had to construct checkdams near the PWD canal, they would raise objection saying the check dam will obstruct the flow the river end. Which is reasonable apprehension. To resolve this collector suggested checkdams with shutters. This decision met both our need. Resolving such differences was possible during meeting. EERAM has made collective decision possible” says MadhuBalan.  

In the last four months, the functioning of EERAM has brought quick resolutions of the water related issues that can have long term impact.  “While we are happy with the progress, we want to create an attitudinal change at all levels. Bring culture of collaboration and data driven decision making.” Says Mr Krishnan Unni 

EERAM cant be just be restricted as the initiative of enthusiastic officers in Erode. Such practices need wider appreciation and followed by other districts. The cross learning, multi stakeholder platforms enhances the effectiveness of government services. “If each district can have something like District Green Committees, we could resolve water issues “ sayMrMadhuBalan. 

Projects, Learning and Decisions 

Rejunavating Water Bodies 

Minor Tanks 

Rural Department maintains 20 minor irrigation tanks in the district. Despite regular maintenance, renovations some of the tanks didn’t get water.  To address this, catchment area for the tank had to be identified, this exercise can’t be done by the RD department, with the support of revenue department catchment areas for the tanks were mapped. Over a period the encroachment of catchment area has blocked the water ways.  This meant any works on tank is useless without addressing the encroachment. It was during this time, department found that some of the tanks are covered under Athikadaku- Avinashi project. (AthikadavuAvinashi Project, aims to divert water of bhavani river to lakes, ponds and other water bodies in the drought prone regions of Coimbatore, Tiruppur and Erode to boost ground water levels.) In erode 5 tanks are covered under this projects. This project gave rebirth to some of the tanks 

Pungampalli tank, 55 acre tank is covered under the project, was given to Environment Foundation of India (EFI), an NGO working for the environmental causes for deweeding, deepening and desilting. Work has been completed.  

There are a few smaller tanks in in town panchayats. Olirum Erode is an NGO working for different causes was approached to take up  a few tanks in Nambiyur block for deepening and desilting.  

“  We have been working on the local tanks for many years, after the EERAM our efficiency has increased. We are able to converge with the overall objective of the government. We are able to rise our concerns and seek help. Decisions are fast, follow-up of work is meticulous, without this we would have to run to different departments.”  

Punjaipalatholvau: PWD tank: 

Chennimalai block is an over exploited red zone block in the district, the largest water tank Punjaipalatholavu has been dry for more than 15 year. This 400 acre land if filled can solve the water problem of the block. But, Inspite of renovation works by the PWD department tank doesn’t get filled at all and they have lost interest in spending further money in the project. Since the tank was part of Athikadu project there was hope that reviving the tank was possible and it can resolve acute water shortage problem. The administration planned to take up project under NammakuNaame, where the government and communities contribute 50%  each. EFI was approached again for the remaining 50% community contribution. With their support the project was sanctioned with the estimated cost of Rs 50 lakhs. The committee was formed exclusively to monitor this project. 

“We had also involved pollution control board in this project. We found that there was a seepage of effluents which mixes with the canal to Punjaipalatholavu. People protested to address this before reviving the tank. “ 

INCREASING GREEN COVER 

Tree Cover Average in plain areas, Aram sei, local NGO has planted 10000 trees and survival rate is 90%.  We have identified OSR sites, under MNREGS mass tree plantation. We seek support from this Aram Sei, and other NGOs, we plant minimum 6 ft tree. WE have 20000 trees under MNREGS in OSR sites. In 42 sites.  

District Green Committee is in charge to increase tree cover and protecting trees. Any department which needs to cut trees has to take permission from the committee. For every tree cut, ten trees have to be planted. EERAM coordinates with this committee and help them converge. 

Surveys are being conducted to map trees in all public spaces especially the government offices and temples. The information about the standing trees are entered in an app developed by an NGO. 

MAPPING AND MEASURING WATER BODIES 

Foundation for ecological security has developed two application well monitoring and CLART application. They have crowd sourced ground water level data with the help of NGOs, and volunteers and updates on a regular basis across India. We are using well monitoring application and CLART before we start any water conservation structure projects to ensure effectiveness of the structures. The overseers are trained in using these app, before the construction they enter ground water levels in the near by wells or borewell and proposed water structure. The supervisor/engineer get a boarder data visualization of the area, structures required and they can approve the structure or suggest different structure with the input he/she gets from the application. This allows the department to take informed decision based on different data points. 

Sharing  knowledge: 

Technical committee was formed with the engineers from PWD engineers, TWAD and RD to develop standard practices on choosing right water structures. The PWD engineers trained the engineers from the RD on the criteria to be followed, data to be collected before constructing Check Dam. This has become the standard process for constructing check dams for the department and all the recent 100 check dams are selected through this process. This process has allowed to select right site location, appropriate structures, estimate the water storage capacity in coordination and collaboration of departments. This data will compared post monsoon to analyse the impact it has created using the applications.