Kamti kere is a small village lake located between small hamlets having a population of around 2500 people from 150 homes/households, coming in the jurisdiction of Kaikini gram panchayat, situated 14 kms. north of the town of Bhatkal in the State of Karnataka, India.
The catchment area of the lake is 38 hectares(Ha), water spread area is 0.15 hectares(Ha) and capacity of tank is 0.32 Million cubic feet (Mcft). Traditional knowledge among villagers confirm that the tank has been the source of underground aquifers that are responsible to feed several ground water sources like wells in villages and small streams flowing through villages in an area of 4.0 square kilometers (sqkms).
Since the last two decades , excessive siltation and encroachment of surrounding land around the lake, has caused rapid shrinking of the lake area and drastic reduction in the water holding capacity of the lake. Consequently several wells in an area of 4.0 sqkms. have lost their source of water recharge springs and dry up fairly early with the onset of summer, leading to a severe water scarcity in the summer months , so much so that people have to walk miles to fetch their daily requirement of water from distant sources or depend on emergency water supply tankers.
Presently the lake holds approx. 0.032 Mcft. of water which is just 10% of its original capacity a few years back.
A brief video presentation is available on the following link on youtube : http://youtu.be/BvtT15XiqI8
Project objectives:
1. Improving the drinking water availability especially during summer(dry) months to
rural families. Regaining rural economy which is mainly minor agriculture based
and protection of natural environment with the revival of traditional tank
systems.
2. Establishing a local body of volunteers to manage and maintain the tank with
help from members of Self Help Groups.
3. Rehabilitating the tank from its present poor condition and decay through
undertaking repair works on the channels, bunds, sluices and weirs.
4. Introducing improved tankfed agriculture through better water management practices
for the effective use of available water by training and awareness camps.
5. R C Bhatkal has identified multiple methods of Improving the uses of tank by
introducing fishery, tree planting on the bunds and beds, creating awareness about
harvesting rainwater and increasing groundwater level in villages.
The Rotary Club of Bhatkal proposes to take up a project which involves the following:
1. Desilting of the entire lake.
2. Building a suitable wall around the lake with granite boulders to prevent
soil erosion into the lake as well as deposition of silt from rain water inflow
from the hills around the lake.
3. Reinforcing the perimeter of the lake with appropriate trees which have good
fibrous root structure to help reduce /prevent soil erosion into the lake.
4. Surplus weir construction and repair.
5. Sluice weir construction and repair.
6. Providing shutters for sluices.
Cost of Project:
a. De-silting tank, Dam and Embankm Rs. 20,86,200.00 (US$ 33115.00)
b. Waste weir Rs. 7,57,100.00 (US$ 12018.00)
c. Irrigation outlet / Sluice Rs. 50,754.00 (US$ 806.00)
d. Field Channel Rs. 69,589.00 (US$ 1105.00)
e. Project Publicity board Rs. 10,000.00 (US$ 159.00)
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Rs. 29,73,643.00 (US$ 47,203.00)
(Rupees Twenty nine lakhs seventy three thousand six hundred forty three only)
(Rounded off to Approx. US Dollars Forty Seven Two hundred and three only ...)
A brief video presentation is available on the following youtube link : http://youtu.be/BvtT15XiqI8
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