BAIF Institute of Rural Development Karnataka (BIRD K)

This manual produced by BIRD-K and DRDPR (GoK) provides the details of the Sachetana project that aims to provide safe drinking water to fluorosis affected populations through the adoption of innovative technologies for rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge.

The project is being implemented through the Gram Panchayats of 60 villages from 4 taluks among three districts of Karnataka state over a period of five years (2006-11).

The objectives of the project include:

• Provision of safe drinking water through innovative rain harvesting structures
• Recharge of groundwater through excavation of percolation ponds
• Recharge of existing bore wells and direct recharge of aquifers
• Awareness generation activities to promote sustainable management and management of water resources and water harvesting structures.

The course starts from the basics of what fluoride is, sources of fluoride intake, how fluoride enters water and the symptoms of fluorosis. It explains the ways of solving this problem with a special emphasis on rainwater harvesting as a source of uncontaminated drinking water.