Saurashtra rainmaker rejuvenates drought-prone land

SIMPLE IDEA: Shamjibai got farmers to recharge open wells by diverting rain water into it.

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New Delhi: As part of the special series, Green Heroes, CNN-IBN profiles people who are making a difference to save the environment. This week we get you the inspiring story of Shamjibai, also known as the rainmaker of Gujarat. Using simple technologies, Shamjibai has ensured that the wells of drought-prone Saurashtra are no longer dry.

Everytime it rains, Shamjibai utters a silent prayer. In a land with severe water scarcity and a hostile climate, he has managed to do the unthinkable.

This 75-year-old crusader is called the rainmaker of Gujarat. He has been driven by a simple idea - getting farmers to recharge open wells by diverting rain water into it.

"I thought the problem could be solved by diverting rain water into wells. I decided to explain this to the farmers so that they could do it themselves," says he.

Shamjibai realised that there was a well after every five to six acres of farmland in the Saurastra region and that it was here that farmers could not only store rain water, but also recharge the water table.

Twenty years ago, Shamjibai started in a tiny room in a village called Dhoraji, designing pampletes and booklets to distribute to villagers.

Today 3 lakh wells have been re-charged through cement pipes in Gujarat.

Driven by abject poverty and without any formal education, Shamjibai has worked against the odds to help lakh of farmers and rejuvenate the land.