Trenches Help Telangana District Slow Down Water Run-Off

Residents and officials of Peddapalli district in Telangana had grown accustomed to facing water shortages. Infrequent and diminishing rainfall, as well as a widespread loss of trees resulted in groundwater levels falling drastically, so much so, that even borewells were rendered useless. This was a bleak picture for a district that was otherwise essentially several hills surrounded by farmland. Farmers such as 40-year old Kondaiah of Nagulapalli village, who own four acres on average, could barely farm on half of their land due to water shortage. The reduced water availability was causing an adverse impact on the everyday life of the villagers.