Environment: Gandhivan

Gandhivan is the name of the place where 25ha wasteland was allotted to GBS by the Government of Rajasthan in the year 1991. At that time no single green leaf could be seen on and around this land, mainly because the villagers had been chopping down trees in want of fuel. Simultaneously the new plants couldn't grow up because of constant grazing of numerous cattle folk in the hilly area. So the project land was totally undulated and barren. There was no source of drinking water in the area. No one could imagine afforestation on this land. But now there is an orchard and small forest having over 50,000 plants of fruits, fodder, fuel, shadow, timber and flowers on this land.

Idea

The idea for the project of Gandhivan was not just to appeal but to demonstrate before the government and community people that the number of problems of the villagers can be solved i.e. fuel, fodder, water, land degradation, soil erosion, desertification etc. by developing wastelands. As near about 34 million ha land lying as "wasteland" in Rajasthan, this contribution project was developed as a model which can be replicated, since Rajasthan contains 60% of the total desert area of India.
Moreover, the motive behind Gandhivan was to involve the community participation during the whole process of project implementation in order to raise self confidence among them as well as to illustrate how difficult it is to regenerate the nature and in contrast how nice and profitable the life with nature is. [return to top]

Expectations

• Rain water flowing in vain from the nearby hills will be harvested.
• Erosion of fertile soil of over 500 ha of land will be checked.
• Sand dunes will be stabilized.
• Process of desertification will be checked
• Problems of fuel and fodder of neighboring 5 villages will be solved.
• Over 200,000 plants of various species would be planted.
• Awareness will be raised among the youth and other community people of the area about the protection of environment.
• Roots of valuable local plants will be protected and regenerated.
• Use of organic manure and pesticides will be promoted natural habitat for wild life, birds and human being will be developed.

Challenges

At the time of starting the Gandhivan project GBS had to overcome many challenges in addition to the fact that one couldn't find a single leaf in Ghadivan. Infrastructure problems where the most challenging problems as in the beginning there was no electricity. Moreover, the lack of a proper street was a hindrance for driving. Not to forget that GBS didn't have sufficient funds for the project. [return to top]

Programmes & Activities

• Water Resources:
  As there was no source of water in and around the land there was a serious problem of drinking water. Thus, it was necessary to dug up a bore well and to fit in a submersinable pump. Moreover, Tow big tanks were constructed to store the water (5m depths)and mud trenches were built to irrigate the plants as well as pipes for spreading water.
  
• Nursery Raising:
  Nurseries were prepared in order to raise saplings. Every year saplings of various plant species are raised in nursery according to the plan. This is a regular on going activity.
• Plantation:
  In the first phase 50 thousand saplings of different species were planted. Afforestation work was carried out under technical guidance of dendrologists, officials of the forest department and senior community people.
  After planting the saplings, water was carried in buckets by hundreds of volunteers and sometimes channeled through pipes and extracted with an electric motor. Additionally saplings were watched on behalf of keeping away the wild anyways and cattle.
• Gully Plugging:
  As there are numerous deep gullies on the project land through which rain water coming from the nearby Aravalli hills flew forcely soil erosion became a serious problem. Thus, some three hundred small mud dams were built to plug these gullies. By means of this not only the soil erosion could be checked but also a lot of saplings could be grown here. Plugging the gullies changed the scenario of the area in such a way as a lot of plants of fuel and fodder species could grow in these gullies. Also the moisture was retained which helped in flourishing a thick layer of vegetation cover in and around.
• Check Dam:
  A small check dam was built up at an alleyway to harvest the water. Through building this check dam the rain water could be preserved for birds and cattle of surrounding villages, soil erosion stopped, level of underground water be upraised in the bore well of Gandhivan and other wells of vicinity. Lots of indigenous plants like acacia grow now in the neighborhood of the dam, which provide both good quality of fodder and shelter to the herdsmen coming with their cattle folk. The fertile elements of soil flowing from the hills along with rain water enriched the land adherent to Gandhivan.
• Preservation of Naturalness:
  Since most of the part of project land of Gandhivan is uneven and ruffled, attempts were made to develop it by keeping it in its rudimental form. Therefore saplings were planted on all the dunes as well as in the gullies. In this way the maximum part of project land was covered under afforestation and its naturalness could be preserved.
  
• Protection of Roots:
  Roots are capable to stabilize the sand dunes. They were watered and taken care of regularly. Periodical pruning of twigs and branches accelerated the growth of these resprouting plants. Now they have been transformed into a dense forest over the dunes.
• Raising Awareness:
  In Gandhivan a youth camp is organized twice a year where around 100 people, mostly students, join. They stay in Gandhivan for five days to make experiences such as nursery raising, plantation, gully plugging, check dam building etc which they share with eachother at night time when they also discuss global environment problems.
  Raising awareness was also necessary in terms of educating the rural people was also necessary to prevent the unwitting cutting of trees by the villagers. [return to top]

Achievements

• Now there is an orchard and small forest having over 100,000 plants of fruits, fodder, fuel, shadow, timber and flowers on this land. They are providing the hundreds of villagers and visitors with wonderful advantage of shadow, fuel and fodder.
• Soil erosion was checked.
• Level of underground water was upraised in the bore well of Gandhivan and other wells of vicinity.
• The sand dunes were stabilized.
• Endangered disappearing indigenous plant species were protected and further regenerated.
• The problem of fuel and fodder of the community people of neighbouring villagers was solved by providing fuel and fodder free of charges to villagers who agreed to assist in Gandhivan activities.
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Cooperations & Contributions

Most of the activities were carried out by the local rural women, as well as by handicapped and leprosy patients who were rehabilitated at Gandhivan. Furthermore, the members of local CBOs (community based organizations) like Mahila Mandals (women's groups), Navyuvak Madals (youth groups) etc supported the Gandivan project in carrying out many activities. Besides, there was also contribution from 7 to 8 experts in each field at the beginning of project.

Outlook

Due to its enormous success the project will be implemented in the adjacent area of 5,000 hectare of land which is presently lying waste. One objective of the proposed project is to raise awareness among the community people and particularly among the women and youth. Moreover, over 400 million plants of various species of fuel, fodder, shadow, timber and fruits etc. should be planted and in doing so the problem of fuel and fodder of 40,000 people of the 20 neighboring villages can be solved. GBS also aims at promoting organic manure instead of pesticide, solar energy and several kinds of enviroment-friendly technologies. [return to top]