Water conservation in the abandoned mines in and around Madhavpur town of Porbandar district has proved to be a boon for the salinity-affected coastal belt.

The water table has risen to a considerable extent in the five kilometre radius around the mines, providing round the clock irrigation facilities for hundreds of hectares of agricultural land.

Naginbhai Popat, a social worker associated with a local NGO said: “The state government has constructed a 340-metre long interconnecting channel joining a numbers of mines. At present, water has accumulated in all the mines in the area.”

Popat said Madhavpur received some 52 inch rainfall during

this monsoon. “Approximately, some 200 lakh gallons of water has been stored in these mines,” he added.

Some 80 abandoned mines are located in Nilkanth, Chamunda and Pudhar areas on the outskirts of Madhavpur town.

Popat added: “Water conservation was started three years ago. Earlier, the area was facing problem of salinity ingress, but after water conservation in the mines, the area is becoming free from salinity ingress and some 314 hectares are getting 24 hour irrigation facility.”