Projects

Haryana produces only 7% of the total ginger production in India and the same is raised in the Morni Hills of the state. The cultivation of ginger is closely associated with soil and climate conditions and best production comes from foot-hill areas. In Morni hills, ginger is raised wherever there are limited irrigation facilities and best quality ginger is produced which is mainly used for making ginger powder,Saunth (dried ginger).

Water has become increasingly scarce worldwide and is being presumed that shortly more than one-third of the global population would face absolute water scarcity. Rising demand for urban and industrial water supplies pose a serious threat to irrigated agriculture. However, to achieve the required food and fiber production for ever-increasing population, water is to be used most judiciously. One of the key ways to boost overall agricultural production is to implement better soil-water management techniques in arid and semi-arid areas. One of the water management strategies introduced relatively recently in Indian agriculture is micro-irrigation (MI).

Paradoxically, in India 147 million hectares (m ha) land is reported to be suffering from different processes of land degradation and about 14.3 and 8.6 m ha area suffers from waterlogging and permanent submergence, respectively. In the fast-developing state of Haryana having acute scarcity of cultivated lands, 0.45 m ha (around 10 percent of total geographical area) suffers from the problem of waterlogging and salinity which imposes, serious limitations for raising crops at least in eight south-western districts namely Rohtak, Jhajjar, Charkhi Dadri, Bhiwani, Hisar, Jind, Sirsa and Fatiabad, and adversely affects the cropping pattern and crop productivity resulting in huge socio-economic losses.

The industrial pollution has become a major environmental problem defying solution. A 3256 ha watershed located in the Shivalik foot hills of Solan district of Himachal Pradesh gradually came under state promoted industrial development with a provision of incentives and subsidies. As the industry expanded, it created the serious problem of groundwater depletion, pollution by untreated sewage water as pollution control norms were not strictly followed. The agriculture and livelihoods of the watershed communities were largely affected. A corporate supported study was conducted during 2022-23 to analyze the cause and effects of these problems and scope of sustainable and environment friendly development.

Aravalis are considered as one of the most degraded ecosystems of India. Harsh climate, low and erratic rainfall, thirsty and hungry sandy soils, fuel, fodder and water scarcity characterize the bio-physical setting of this arid region forming northern edge of the Thar Desert. Irrigated agriculture expanded disregarding low rainfall and limited scope of groundwater recharge. The introduction of wheat and vegetable crops against Pennisetum glaucum (Pearl Millet) and Brasica nigra (Mustard) the native crops of the region led to drastic fall in water table necessitating the installation of submersible motors replacing diesel engines. The traditional wells also started drying up. Under such a scenario large number of blocks was declared as dark zones. The Sri Ram Fibres (SRF) Pvt. Limited a corporate of repute established their chemical plant in Tijara block of Alwar district of Rajasthan.