Page 11 - Jan-Mar 2015

VOL. 12 No. 1

Success Stories

Many individuals and groups have contributed immensely to the campaign for saving and conserving water. They have set
up rainwater harvesting systems in their towns and cities and have been pioneers in water conservation techniques. Their
efforts have gone a long way in facilitating the availability of water to citizens. Their meaningful, long-term approach has
been extremely beneficial to society.
rajendra Singh is a pioneer as far as water
conservation is concerned. his work in the
ayyappa Mahadevappa Masagi from alwar region of rajasthan was so successful
Karnataka is a 54-year old man who is that the dry zone was converted into a
popularly known as ‘water gandhi.’ he place where agriculture was made possible.
has developed over 100 scientifically because of his efforts more than 7000 johads
proven techniques to end the water were built covering more than 1000 villages.
crisis. he has also guided over 40 Chewang Norphel from ladakh built
industrial units to harvest rainwater. artificial glaciers by channelizing glacier
The water literacy Foundation was water into depressions lying in the shadow
created in 2005 by ayappa Masagi who area of a mountain which does not receive
started experimenting with rainwater any sunlight.
harvesting in 1994. anupam Mishra is an
Anvitha G., X H, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan's Public School, Jubilee Hills, environmentalist and water
Hyderabad conservationist who has worked in the
area of water management and promoting
traditional rainwater harvesting techniques.
he has travelled across many villages in india
to promote rainwater harvesting techniques.
Shantha Sheela Nair an ias Divyani Jha, IX A, Suditi Global Academy, Etawah; Mansi Gupta, IX B,
officer discovered that the city of Swami Vivekanand Public School, Jagadhari
Chennai was reeling under water
scarcity when she was posted
there in 2001. with the support
of the CM of Chennai, changes Hanumant Kendre, a young enthusiast and social
were made in the Chennai worker, started a water revolution in the area of
Municipal Corporation act which made rainwater Nagdarwadi in Maharashtra. The mission was to save
harvesting compulsory. every drop of rain. Millions of trees were planted and
Aastha Das, V, Global Indian International School, Ahmedabad reservoirs were built.
Veda Rathod, VI C, Delhi Public School, Sec. 45, Gurgaon

We can also
vIcTORIOUS vILLAGE do it! DID YOU kNOW?

dihra, a village southwest of the Patna The Sarpanch of the
city, can be taken as a case study as far Raj Samadhiyala village
as rainwater harvesting is concerned. in in Rajkot, Gujarat,
1995, the village youth realized that they encouraged the villagers
have to conserve rainwater and therefore to build 12 check dams
they created a way to impound the and undertake watershed
seasonal streams there. development. As a result
of this, farmers could
Anuska, V, Bridgeford School, Ranchi
Illustration by: grow crops in this rainfall
P. Akarsha, X-H,
B.V.B.P.S. Jubilee Hills, deficit area.
Hyderabad

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