MATHACHAN: THE LARGEST WATER HARVESTING STRUCTURE IN THE STATE BY AN INDIVIDUAL
| Mathachan, Kaduthudi, Malakkallu, Rajapuram Kasargod |
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The largest water harvesting structure in the State built by an individual is at the farm of Mathachan of Kaduthudi, Malakkallu, Kasargod. And his journey up to the construction has been full of ups and downs.
Mathachan, who resigned his job in the Gulf to start a medical store back home, had to discontinue the same due to losses. It was then that he turned to agriculture. Despite advice from well meaning neighbours, he insisted on cultivating in the slope of the hill where not a drop of water was available.
He then tried to augment the supply of water by converting the existing well into a pond. Though the size increased, the net result in terms of water was zero.
It was then that he came to know of the ‘save rainwater’ campaign of Malayala Manorama. After reading the handbook on the subject, he undertook a jouney across the State to observe the best practices. At Mainakulam, in the silpaulin ponds, he found the solution he had been searching for long.
There was a tiny natural spring in a corner of his 5-acre land. He made it bigger and laid a pipe from there to a newly constructed silpaulin tank. At 120 feet length by 60 feet width and 13 feet depth, with a capacity of 20 lakh litres, this silpaulin tank is easily the largest water storage unit by an individual in the State.
The water from this storage tank comes to the well which had been converted into a pond earlier. From there the water is pumped to overhead tanks and ultimately reaches vanilla and other cultivations as sprinkler and drip irrigation.
Now when Mathachan advices the villagers not to dig bore wells here and there, they lend their ears to him. 5 years ago, when he started cultivating vanilla on experimental basis, many had ridiculed him. Now the same persons come to him for vanilla saplings.
Courtesy: Sony Bhattathirippad, Malayala Manorama, October 26, 2004
Contributed by: Administrator
