Not
to be published/broadcast before
9th August, 2009
Bimlo
Devi, like any other woman of
Sherpur Village in Chamba District
would wake up before the crack of
dawn and walk almost eight kms of
hilly and forested terrain to fetch
fodder for the cattle. This daily
grind left them with little time to
attend to other pressing domestic
chores. Life was indeed extremely
harsh and difficult in most parts of
the State. Thanks to the World
Bank’s Mid-Himalayan Watershed
Development Project made successful
by community efforts, the winds of
change are blowing in village after
village and district after district
of the hill state. Two years down
the line, the women of Sherpur, and
of any other village for that
matter, are today singing a
different tune. The project seems to
have achieved the objective of
enabling the people to rediscover
their innate potential and recharge
their economy.
The assistance provided by the World
Bank has changed life and living for
most citizens of Himachal Pradesh.
According to the World Bank report,
after implementation of the
watershed project, the average
household income has increased by 50
per cent; crop yields by 75 per cent
and crop diversity too has improved
from one-two to three-four crops.
According to the World Bank’s
Baseline Survey, 90 percent of the
people own land, the average size of
the holding being less than
half-an-acre. The project’s greatest
achievement lies in ensuring
sustainable management of land and
water resources while enhancing the
livelihood of rural inhabitants.
The World Bank Mid Himalayan
Watershed Development Project
unleashed activities touching almost
every aspect of life in the state.
Plantation, soil conservation, water
harvesting, horticulture,
agriculture and many income
generating activities with community
participation were taken up in a big
way.
The trees planted in 12 hectares of
degraded forest area in Sherpur in
Chamba district by group of women in
2006-07, have since turned the area
into a thick forest. The village is
set amidst idyllic surroundings of
lush green fields dotted with tall
trees with beautiful snow-capped
Dhauldhar. The user groups zealously
guard their new and upcoming forest.
The Sherpur pannchayat has been
given first prize of Rs. 4 lacs for
bring greenery.
“The project has made life worth
living. Now we have time to take up
other activities of the project and
plan to make paper plates and do
knitting and poultry farming.” Says
an inspired Bimo Devi. The entire
produce will be sold through a
cooperative store in Banikhet.
