While abandoned quarries are death traps in many parts, rural Kareepra in Kollam is all set to put its water-filled pits to better use. In a first-of-its-kind initiative in Kerala, water from such quarries will be pumped using solar energy and diverted to canals criss-crossing the local body for irrigation.
The panchayat has a handful of deserted quarries in its limits and authorities say they plan to maintain groundwater level during summer months through the project.
“We have quarries that are 50 ft deep lying idle. Since their licences will not be renewed, they have no other use and Kareepra is a panchayat facing acute water shortage. The project was planned in coordination with the Agency for New and Renewable Energy Research and Technology (ANERT),” says Kareepra grama panchayat president P.S. Prashobha.
A panchayat with high paddy acreage in the district, Kareepra had converted more than 100 hectares of fallow land and several polders cultivable to promote agriculture. In 2019, it was declared a fallow land-free panchayat with the support of the Haritha Keralam Mission under the Navakeralam Action Plan. However, due to multiple factors, including COVID-19 pandemic, the status could not be maintained. Kareepra has an area of 20,320 hectares that includes 1,856 hectares of agricultural land, and the water scarcity from January to May is a major challenge for farmers.
“Kareepra is the topmost paddy producer in Kollam with a lot of agriculture land and farmers. Water from the quarry will be pumped to canals so that the water table remains stable ,” says Ms. Prashobha.
Apart from ANERT, the Irrigation department, Haritha Keralam Mission and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) are also part of the project. “Currently, the Tourism department is also exploring the potential of the project location. It is the first initiative in the State to utilise abandoned quarries using solar energy. A pilot project will be launched soon,” she adds.
As part of the project, a solar pump has been installed next to a 20-acre quarry located at Ulacode ward and the panchayat has also secured a three-phase connection from the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB). With subsidy from ANERT, various wards, including Ulacode, Vakkanad, Nedumankavu, Kudikkodu and Ettuvaikode, will be irrigated.
According to ANERT officials, though projects under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) to solarise agricultural pumps are under way in many parts of the State, they are usually standalone pumps for individual farmers. “It is for the first time in Kerala that water from a stone quarry is being used for irrigation and the project will be beneficial to the farmers,” says an official.
While there will be no dependence on conventional electricity, the project requires a high-capacity pump. “Though the amount of electricity generated will be low, solar panels will function just fine in rainy or overcast days and there is no need for apprehensions. This is a model project and it can be extended to more places,” adds the official.
