Kumaran Kuttai

Kumaran Kuttai was once the lifeline of Madhampatti’s farmers until years of water scarcity pushed them to the brink of abandoning agriculture. Borewells drilled as deep as 1,000 feet stood dry, and livelihoods were slipping away. When Siruthuli stepped in, the answer lay hidden in the terrain itself: a chain of damaged check dams that once carried the waters of the Western Ghats. By repairing seven check dams and reimagining them as a cascading system of six percolation ponds, Siruthuli helped rainwater pause, settle and seep back into the earth. Gabion structures, gully plugs, farm bunds and 2,000 trees slowed erosion and strengthened recharge. When the monsoon arrived, the ponds filled, and so did the wells. What was once brown and parched turned green again. Most moving of all were the farmers’ words of gratitude, as nearly 250 families found renewed hope and the strength to remain rooted to their land. Kumaran Kuttai today stands as a living example of how thoughtful watershed design can restore both water and dignity.