Daltonganj: A 4-km-long ridge-to-valley watershed management project has been completed in the protected forest area of Gaberletwa under the Mohammadganj forest range of the Medininagar forest division in Palamu, providing a model for rainwater conservation and forest ecosystem restoration in the region.Forest department sources said the project was executed at a cost of around Rs 50 lakh. A rural development department official, comparing the expenditure with similar works undertaken by other departments, claimed that a comparable surface water management project would have cost nearly Rs 1 crore.Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Medininagar division Satyam Kumar said the ridge-to-valley intervention was aimed at reducing rainwater runoff and maximising rainwater harvesting.“It is a comprehensive treatment for reducing rainwater runoff and designed to maximise rainwater harvesting,” Kumar said.The ridge-to-valley model, which focuses on conserving water from the upper reaches of a watershed down to the valley floor, is now being seen as a more effective alternative. According to forest officials, the approach strengthens forest ecosystems, recharges groundwater and helps prevent soil erosion.Calling water conservation at the ridge a “revolutionary concept,” Kumar said it helps prevent the erosion of loose soil and the disintegration of rocks, both of which contribute to land degradation.
