Eight panchayats in Keralam’s Kasaragod to revive traditional surangam

‘Surangams’ are horizontal tunnels excavated into laterite hills, allowing groundwater to seep naturally into the passages and flow out for collection and use. This distinctive traditional water harvesting system is mainly found in Keralam’s Kasaragod district.

A comprehensive project to rejuvenate the district’s traditional underground water tunnels, known as “Surangams”, is set to be implemented in eight grama panchayats in Kasaragod to improve groundwater recharge, conserve rainwater, and maintain water flow in rivers amid declining rainfall and increasing drought risks.

The project will initially cover Kayyur-Cheemeni, Kodom-Belur, Kallar, Pallikkara, Bedadka, Puthige, Chengala and Kumbla grama panchayats. The project will make extensive use of workers under the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), known as VB-G RAM G, the rural employment scheme that replaced the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

Surangams are a distinctive traditional water harvesting system found in Kasaragod. They are horizontal tunnels excavated into laterite hills, allowing groundwater to seep naturally into the passages and flow out for collection and use. Before borewells and deep wells became widespread, residents and farmers depended heavily on these structures for drinking water and agricultural needs.

The system is particularly suited to the district’s terrain, where laterite hills and seasonal rainfall influence water availability. Rainwater percolates into the ground during the monsoon and emerges through the tunnels during the summer, making them a traditional means of sustaining water supply through dry periods.

Experts from the Kerala Regional Office of the Central Groundwater Board (CGB) have held detailed discussions with VB-G RAM G officials on the restoration, conservation and scientific maintenance of the tunnels, according to Regional Director Dr. D. Gnanasundar.

He said restoring the surangams could improve groundwater recharge and increase water availability in river basins. The depletion of underground water reserves during summer is one of the factors contributing to reduced flow in several rivers in Kasaragod, he noted.

Kasaragod is estimated to have more than thousand surangams, including those located on private properties. A separate exercise is planned to document their number, locations, present condition, and water availability.

VB-G RAM G joint programme coordinator T.T. Surendran said the authorities had sought the assistance of student volunteers from the Department of Geology at Central University of Kerala to prepare a comprehensive inventory of the tunnels.

The survey is expected to help officials assess the condition of individual structures and identify those requiring urgent restoration and protection.

The first phase will focus on repairing damaged tunnels and introducing measures to improve rainwater infiltration into the soil. Water storage structure will also be developed at suitable locations to prevent water emerging from the tunnels from flowing directly into rivers without being conserved. The plan includes establishing dedicated recharge points to ensure a sustained supply of water to the tunnels.

Contour-based land conservation measures will also be introduced to retain rainwater for longer periods, allowing more water to seep into the ground and replenish underground aquifers.

Although the Kasaragod and Manjeswaram blocks were earlier classified as being in the critical groundwater category, the status has since improved to the semi-critical category, according to the report. CGB scientists have stressed the need to ensure adequate groundwater recharge to sustain this improvement.

Board scientists M. Santaan Subramanian and G. Sreenath have conducted technical training sessions for personnel. The board will continue to provide technical assistance and expertise for groundwater management initiatives across the district. Until now, employment scheme workers have mainly been engaged in activities related to waterbodies and other water conservation projects. Under the new initiative, the maintenance and restoration of Surangams will receive greater attention in the eight selected panchayats.

Mr. Surendran said the authorities intended to extend the initiative to other panchayats in the district if the pilot project proved successful. The initiative seeks to combine traditional water conservation knowledge with modern scientific methods to reduce summer water shortages, improve groundwater levels, and sustain river flows.