KOZHIKODE: Suranga, the traditional unique water harvesting system found in northern Kasargod, is much in demand in the times of drought. But unfortunately, there is an acute shortage of labourers with the technical acumen to undertake the tedious task of digging it. The reluctance of youngsters to take it up as a profession has also worsened the situation. Suranga is a horizontal well dug through hard laterite soil formations from which water seeps out and flows out of the tunnel into open ponds.
Kasargod has close to 5,000 surangas mostly in households which have agrarian activities. The laterite geography of the region and the natives' belief that suranga water is pure than normal well water makes the conventional system most preferred. According to water conservationist-journalist Sree Padre, there are around 2,000 surangas in Bayar village alone. “Padre, Kumbadaje and Angalpady areas have many Surangas amidst the increasing number of bore wells in other parts of the district. The 300-metre long suranga in Sheni village is a delight to watch,” says Sree Padre.
A suranga is usually about 0. 45 - 0.70 metres wide and about 1.8 - 2.0 m high and the length can vary from around 10 to 300 metres. “The porous laterite has a capacity to store water. The clay in the laterite mud holds the water, which is the key in the process of suranga,” noted Dr Kamalam Joseph, senior scientist at CWRDM (Centre for water resources development and management). But now the situation has changed as a good number of surangas had dried up. “Its drawback is a dip in the water table will make it dry up. The lack of expert labourers also is a problem,” noted P. Seetharam, district officer at the groundwater department.
