It’s not just us but also our water bodies that are parched today. And community-driven water conservation is the need of the hour for rural empowerment and environmental sustainability, says Maulik Sisodia, executive director, Tarun Bharat Sangh.
Maulik Sisodia: Our belief is that the first right to the water resources of any water body belongs to the water body itself. The river or pond is the primary right holder to its clean, uncontaminated water.
For centuries, there has been a myth that earth holds unlimited water. This misconception has damaged our relationship with water bodies. We forgot the love and respect they deserve and started seeing them only as consumable items.
It is only in the last few decades that we began to realise how devastating this attitude is. It’s not just you and I who are parched; our rivers, lakes, and ponds are also suffering in our country. We need to quench not only our thirst but also mother earth’s thirst.
It is only with this approach that we can save the water bodies and, in turn, take care of ourselves. This philosophy drives, guides and inspires the work of Tarun Bharat Sangh.
MS: We are witnessing grim scenarios in both urban and rural areas. In rural areas, many ponds have become dustbins where waste from nearby homes and industries is dumped. In cities, you see “river view” apartments being constructed over these water bodies. This has been happening for centuries, but the pace has increased tremendously in recent decades.
Water has created many complex problems in our society. It is perhaps the biggest source of inter-state conflicts in India. Even courts are struggling to resolve these conflicts because of their complexity. There are conflicts not just between states but also among individuals and communities.
The problem of water scarcity is not static. The demand for water is ever-expanding due to several factors. When you don’t have water, every drop is precious. As soon as you have more, your usage expands too.
Some might say that our emphasis on “oneness” is too utopian and argue that the actual solution may lie in better engineering or infrastructure. In my view, such perspectives are far from reality. I believe that unless you, I and every person is part of the process, there will never be a solution in sight for this problem.
When we talk about oneness, we see it in action in the villages of Rajasthan where we work. Due to water scarcity, some youth had turned to banditry. When this scarcity was addressed, we saw those young people become farmers.
Our attitude focuses on them not just taking care of their own needs but also ensuring that the pond’s needs are met. We have to consider the wildlife that depends on these water bodies as their only source of water. We have observed that after we restored water bodies near Bharatpur National Park, the number of migratory birds increased, as did their duration of stay.
MS: Karauli and Dholpur are situated in the Chambal region, which spans parts of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. The Chambal valley has been the backdrop for many fictional and real dacoit stories, such as Paan Singh Tomar and Bandit Queen. This gives you an idea of the region’s history and challenges.
We started working in this area 10 years ago when access to water was a major struggle for everyone. When we asked the locals what they did for a living, many said they were compelled to choose a life of crime. They didn’t want to do this, but without water, even those who owned land found it useless.
We began building small ponds in the region and were able to transform the lives of youth in 200 poor families. With access to water, they switched to farming. They no longer lived as fugitives and stopped living in fear.
MS: We work using a river basin approach, engaging with all villages and small rainwater harvesting units from start to finish. Our interventions are community-driven, requiring contributions from the locals to foster a sense of ownership.
At TBS, we prepare and empower communities to build the structures through their contributions. We aim to get at least 50 percent of the contribution from rural communities. Even in dire circumstances, we strive for at least a 33 percent contribution from them. This is imperative for sustainability.
We not only work with communities on improving the supply of water, but also help manage the demand side.
Sometimes people say that TBS works on ‘water’. I tell them, no, TBS works with people. We spend so much time talking with them that they start to understand their problems, articulate them, and come up with solutions.
TBS is entering its 50th year since it was established. So far, we have intervened in 19 districts and 2,000 villages in Rajasthan. Currently, we are working in the Karauli, Dholpur, Kota and Mewat regions of the state. We are also working on 13 small rivers.
When TBS works on the basin of a river, we ensure we spend at least 12-15 years there. This long-term commitment helps us establish a strong connection with the people and make real changes in attitudes and behaviours.
Our small successes include building small ponds through hard work and determination. When people see water in those ponds after the rain and witness better agricultural yields, it inspires them to envision a prosperous future and motivates them to contribute more towards water conservation.
The lead image on top shows a small rejuvenated water body in Rajasthan. (Photo courtesy TBS)
