Chikmagulur receives an average rainfall of about 1925 mm that  is amongst the highest in the country. Yet as summer approaches all lakes and rivulets go dry. Due to over utilization, the ground water levels in the region have dropped down to below 1100 ft in certain places and irrigation is almost impossible.

Nearly 90% of the bore wells in the catchment area of Vedavathi River have gone dry due to over exploitation. The river that once used to flow throughout the year is restricted to few months of monsoon.

Working with the experts we prepared a comprehensive watershed management program to rejuvenate the Vedavathi river which once used to flow throughout the year in this area. The proposed network of structures to raise the groundwater levels will stretch to an area covering 179 sq kms across 49 villages in phase I. In phase II, approximately 5000 sq kms will be covered. We estimate that by the end of the third year ground levels would rise to such levels that the Vedavathi river would start gushing again.

After the start of the project, our team led by Nagraju Gangoli started meeting individual Gram Panchayats explaining them the need to undertake comprehensive water management efforts and to build consensus. In a period of six months, we got support from 10 Gram Panchayats covering all the 49 villages and brought together the administrative machinery including the individual Panchayat Development Officers and the CEO of Zila Parishad.

Due to persistent efforts of the team, the funds were sanctioned under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and The Art of Living was declared the Nodal agency to oversee the project implementation.