CSR: Be Water Smarter This World Water Day
240 million people globally are living in acute water scarcity. With more than one-third of the world bowing under this threat, water crisis is indeed a worrying matter. While global conclaves are working towards water retention, preservation and minimal consumption, we also need to better understand how we can work with the nature to overcome the challenges we are facing due to this water scarcity. The theme for this year’s World Water Day 2018 is ‘Nature for Water’ – exploring nature-based solutions to the water challenges we face in the 21st century.
Various villages across to country have faced drought intensive situations. As problems of rural poverty and farmer suicides take centre stage with the Farmer March, permanent solutions to the age-old issue are gaining traction. Global Parli, an initiative founded by activist Mayank Gandhi, has been working towards rural transformation in Parli Taluka of Beed district for the last 2 years.
Their project aims to assist over a dozen villages with long-term water security. Once implemented, it will save the cost of 1.44 lakh water tankers annually, over a period of minimum of 20 years. Parli is one of the worst affected areas in India with an overall irrigated area of only 1.72% compared to the national average of 40%.
Aamir Khan’s Paani Foundation, works to make Maharashtra drought free and provide permanent solutions to the water crisis in rural areas. Early this year, they announced the launch of the Satyamev Jayate Water Cup, 2018. The total prize money which the villages stand to win in the competition is nearly Rs. 10 crores. This year the competition will see the involvement of 75 talukas in 24 districts of Maharashtra.
“Not a single drop of illegal liquor is now available in these villages. The elaborate mechanism employed by Paani Foundation with its competition lays down a blue print to make a village drought free is truly commendable. This 45 day makeover will be significant to transform rural India towards a prosperous tomorrow. We need more hands and heads to come forward and support our mission in bringing dignity and prosperity in the lives of the men and women who feed us,” says Mayank Gandhi.
As per World Bank data only 35% of India’s agricultural land is irrigated. India is a country where a large percentage of GDP is dependent on agriculture. This shows 65% of farming depends totally on rain and distribution of rainfall in our country, which is highly unpredictable. Over 70 % of annual rainfall takes place during the three months of the monsoon season.
DS Group has claimed to launch ‘Creation of Water Economic Zones through Integrated Watershed Development’ programme in Udaipur. The quality of life for the tribal and rural community is aimed at, to implement sustainable livelihood enhancement options through natural resource development & management. Maximizing conservation and harvesting through various interventions so as to improve the output in agriculture and allied activities, thus leading to an increased yield that would help these families to sustain their livelihood. The irregular rainfall challenge makes more and more families vulnerable and they get pushed below the poverty line.
Water is one of the most essential resources used in our day to day life. The depletion of this resource has become a reason for many conflicts in country. We all must understand this and conserve water, which blesses this planet with life.
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The CSR Journal Team
