IMPACY OF WATERSHED INTERVENTIONS ON WATER RESSOURCES, SOILPROPERTIES AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS OF SOME MICROWATERSHEDS OF NALAGARH BLOCK OF DISTRICT SOLAN OF HIMACHAL PRADESH
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Date
2014
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Publisher
UHF,NAUNI
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Study entitled “Impact of watershed interventions on water resources, soil properties and socio economic status of selected micro-watersheds in Nalagarh block of district Solan of Himachal
Pradesh” was conducted during 2013-14 to evaluate integrated watershed management programme
(IWMP-II) covering an area of 6947 ha of Nalagarh block of Solan district of Himachal Pradesh.
Three micro-watersheds namely Bawasani (lAlDlD1d), Mittian (lA1D2D1b) and Koedi (1A1D1D2C)
of Chikni khad sub-catchment with an area of 4,671 ha were randomly selected from IWMP-II to
assess the impact of watershed interventions after one year completion of project on water resources,
production systems, socio-economic status and fertility status of soil of micro-watersheds. Most of the
respondents in all the micro-watersheds were resource poor and marginal to small farmers. Literacy
rate (70%) and sex ratio (780) of these micro-watersheds were lower than both state and national
levels. Intervention through the introduction of Kanchan variety of maize and Dhannaya variety of
tomato, resulted increase in productivity of these crops by 0.15-0.35 q/ha and by 3.13-9.37 q/ha,
respectively. Distribution of seedlings of suitable varieties of fruit crops encouraged the farmers
towards horticulture sector and brought new area of 0.63 ha under different fruit crops in the micro watersheds. Good quality feed making intervention in dairy sector increased on an average half a litre
of milk production per day per milching animal. New water harvesting structures (14 kaccha ponds
and 4 tanks) were constructed in the micro-watersheds resulted increase in irrigation potential of 15.8
ha (from 212.0-227.8 ha). Watershed interventions on different farm activities led to a slight increase
in the farm income of the benefited farmers, farm income of BPL families increased by 2.17 to 4.08
per cent. New livelihood activities like poultry and piggery and 5 SHGs for agriculture, horticulture,
dairy, poultry and piggery were created in the micro-watersheds which led to increase in social
participation of the watershed inhabitants. Soils of micro-watersheds were found slightly acidic to
slightly alkaline in reaction, low to medium in OC and available N, high in available P and medium in
available K. The nutrient index of OC was medium (<1.81) and whereas, NI of available N, P and K
was found to be of low (<1.75), high (3) and medium (2) category.