Ranchi Launches Innovative Water Conservation Project 'Bhuvanam - Pani Ki Kheti' to Combat Groundwater Depletion

Ranchi: The Ranchi district administration on Tuesday inaugurated ‘Bhuvanam – Pani Ki Kheti’, a water conservation and augmentation project at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV), Mesra.Supported by Central Coalfields Limited (CCL), the Rs 17lakh project aims to address groundwater depletion and promote sustainable water use in educational and rural institutions.Describing the project as “a significant step towards ensuring long-term water security”, DC Manjunath Bhajantri said, “The project will not only conserve rainwater but also help rural economies thrive while restoring ecological balance.”“At JNV Mesra, where over 20 borewells had failed due to depleting groundwater, a natural subsurface catchment capable of storing over 1cr lt of water has been created. The campus is now self-sufficient in its water needs throughout the year,” said Rathin Bhadra, one of the project founders.Bhuvanamuses a scientific, and indigenous process of rainwater harvesting and aquifer recharge. The system identifies sites through hydrogeological mapping and channels monsoon run-off into a natural filtration chamber of gravel, sand, and charcoal. Filtered water is then directed into deep recharge shafts reaching confined aquifers 40–120ft below ground, where it is naturally stored without evaporation losses.

This stored water is reused for irrigation and daily needs during dry months.