PHUDMYRDONG- B

VNRMC DISTRICT PROJECT MANAGEMENT UNIT (DPMU)

EAST KHASI HILLS DISTRICT

About Phudmyrdong-B Village

Phudmyrdong-B is one of the villages that have been selected by the Meghalaya Basin Development Agency for the implementation of the various interventions of the CLLMP and is located in the Mawphlang subdivision of the East Khasi Hills district in Meghalaya, India. It is situated 8.3 km from Block Headquarters in Mawphlang and 25 km from District Headquarter in Shillong. It is bounded to the east by the Mylliem Block, to the south by the Khadarshnong-Laitkroh Block, to the east by the Shillong Block, and to the east by the Mawryngkneng Block.

The number of households in this village is 70 with a population of 366 people.

Age Groups (in years)	Males	Females	Total
0-4	19	27	46
5 – 15	59	68	127
15- 30	51	51	102
30- 60	31	51	82
60 above	02	07	09
Total	162	204	366

A majority of the population is engaged in farming activities, and the rest of the population’s line of work includes daily wage earners, taxi drivers, carpenters, and masons.

Important Dates & Events

• On 10th August 2020, the Citizens Green Charter was signed.

• On 10th August 2020, the Village Grant Agreement was signed.

• The Village Natural Resource Management Committee (VNRMC) was formed on 30th September 2020.

• On 10th August 2020, the Purchase Committee was formed.

• The Community Natural Resource Management Plan (CNRMP) was formulated on the 30th September 2020.

• The community forwarded a letter for more intervention work for the year 2021-2022 on 2nd January 2021.

Purpose of Intervention

The main purpose of taking up interventions in this area is because of the scarcity of water, which has been a major challenge for the people who have voiced their concerns and shown sustained efforts and interests in getting the interventions implemented. The present interventions that have been constructed here have proven to be very beneficial to the people, as provided in their testimonies.

The interventions implemented through CLLMP are:

• Construction of Filtration System at Kyndong Tong Um

• Construction of Erosion Protection Wall at Kyndong Tong Um

• Community Nursery at Lumphylloit

• Construction of Erosion Protection Wall at Kyndong Manai

• Construction of Erosion Protection Wall at Phud Tyndong

• Construction of Check Dam cum Gully Pluck at Kyndong Saitjain

• Construction of Erosion Protection Wall at Kyndong Saitjain

• Construction of Erosion Protection Wall at Pynthor Sliren

• Construction of Micro Irrigation work at Kyndong Mawlong

• Construction of Springshed cum Trenches at Liew Long Um

• Construction of Springshed cum Trenches at Spailin

• Construction of Springshed cum Trenches at Sum Tyllong Tong Um

The above interventions were completed in 7 months which started on October 2020 and completed on April 2021.

New Interventions that was Implemented:

• Construction of Springshed at Lumphylloit

• Protection Wall at Kyndong Mawlong

• Afforestation at Law Kharkrang

-Seed Bank at Lumphylloit

Photos of the interventions:

Seed Bank

When we think about banks and saving for the future, saving in terms of finances usually comes to mind. However, we must also remember that resources are quickly depleting, so we must think of new ways and ideas to save them. One way of doing so is through the use of seed banks. Seeds hold the power to regenerate species, promote biodiversity, and enable ecosystems to adapt to an ever-changing world. These are the primary reasons why it is necessary to preserve the seed, and it is this need through which the concept of a "seed bank" emerged. A seed bank is therefore a place where seeds are stored in order to preserve genetic diversity.

A seed bank is a place where seeds are stored to preserve genetic diversity for the future. Seed banks are important because of the increasing extinction of plant species. This is therefore a form of insurance and a way of maximising the number of plant species that can be saved in this way. Preservation of seeds is essential now more than ever because of factors that include habitat loss, climate change, pollution, pests, and diseases. Seed banks are useful for storing seeds that can be used for cultivation in the seasons that follow. It is easy for plants to be stored in their seed form because of their small size, which requires minimum storage space and makes it possible to store a huge variety of seeds.

For storing seeds in a seed bank, the seeds should be new, mature, healthy, and well-dried. They are to be kept in a cool, dry space to extend their viability. Since seeds tend to absorb moisture, they need to be stored in airtight containers along with moisture-absorbing materials like dry wood ash, dry charcoal, powdered milk, toasted (cooled) rice, or small pieces of newspaper. The drying material should take up about one-fourth of the container space.

This is a unique CNRMP activity that has been implemented in Phudmyrdong. The seed bank has been constructed in Lumphylloit, a locality in Phudmyrdong.

The seed bank's construction began on September 12, 2022 and was completed on October 15, 2022. The seed bank's total construction cost is ₹1,00,000.

The seeds that are to be stored in this seed bank are seeds of crops that are grown in this region, which includes Cabbage, Mustard, Radish, Maize, Cereals, Pumpkin, Cucumber, Turnip and Soya bean Seeds,

Back side of the Pamphlet

Ground Testimonies

• Mr. Laiborsing Kharphuli, President VNRMC

Mr. Laiborsing Kharphuli claims that because the majority of the population works in agriculture and the fields are bordered by streams, which weaken the soil and create debris flows (small landslides), the CLLMP's actions have been a big benefit for the people of Phudmyrdong Village. The lack of a sufficient supply of drinking water for the 150 families in Phudmyrdong-A and Phudmyrdong-B, which are served by a single catchment area, is another issue that this community is plagued with. However, the CLLMP and the development of the many interventions have greatly benefited the populace. In terms of drinking water, the three spring chambers have been a blessing for the community; they now receive water in the summer and winter.

In comparison to the past, when there was only one available dam, which was insufficient, the installation of the check dam has aided in the conveyance of water to the fields in greater numbers.

About ten houses have benefited from the construction of the protection wall.

The presence of the washing platforms has made it possible to produce clean water that can be utilized for crops, and the filtration system that has been built here has been very beneficial to the local populace. A greater flow of water from the source to the field is now possible thanks to the micro irrigation canal that has been built.

• Ms. Shaihun Kharkrang., VCF Social

According to Ms. Shaihun Kharkrang, with the coming of CLLMP she has gathered many information and knowledge regarding formats and how to fill up forms.

• Mary Khongsit, Secretary, VNRMC

According to Ms. Mary Khongsit, with the assistance of the president and the VCF, they are able to complete the required paperwork. The MBMA personnel also instructs them on how to complete the forms. Cheques and bank-to-bank transfers are the mode of transaction for payment of materials and wages because they are more practical than withdrawing cash and giving it to people one at a time. This saves time and promotes accountability as the money goes directly to the recipients' bank accounts.

• Landowner

The construction of the protection wall has allowed Ms. Beautiful Kharkrang, a landowner, to be able to use the entire plot of land for cultivation. Previously, Ms. Beautiful Kharkrang's land was not entirely cultivable due to the heavy flow of water from the stream; the water would reach the cultivable land and wash away the top soil.

• Community Member

Since there are so many families in this region and only tap water is sufficient, Ms. Melita Sun, a member of the community, claimed that the village experienced a problem with water scarcity in the winter and was forced to rely on an open spring that they had previously dug up. They have been blessed with the spring chambers, especially during the winter. They no longer need to worry about buying water, which they used to have to do for roughly ₹400 to ₹ 500 every week.

Scan the barcode to watch the video: Link: http://bit.ly/3tBeoTB

Follow Us on:

@ekhcllmp

ekhcllmp@gmail.com