Jal Sahelis' water conservation based on community strength and spirit of voluntarism

By Bharat Dogra* 

At a time when several environmental problems have become so serious as to threaten the basic life-nurturing conditions of our planet, thoughtful and concerned people all over the world are looking for effective solutions with an increasing sense of urgency sometimes bordering on desperation. In this search for durable solutions, community strength and spirit of voluntarism are being seen as very important means of achieving success, or even as the key to success. It is increasingly realized that no matter how well-intentioned various plans and projects aimed at environment protection and regeneration are, their sustainability and durability are best achieved when these are based on community strength including a spirit of voluntarism.

This is particularly true of water conservation efforts in the context of resolving the increasing water shortage crisis in vast areas of the world. As implementers of many big development projects are learning, it is easier to create a big infrastructure of pipelines, taps and tanks than to ensure that water circulates regularly in them. This is where water conservation becomes the more important part of the solution. Conservation of water, in turn, is essentially a matter of strengthening the community and increasing its sense of responsibility with a strong spirit of voluntarism. Of course this does not mean that the role of external help and encouragement is not an important one. As many communities are not just poor but in addition have been experiencing various forms of disintegration and harm often due to factors beyond their control, external help and encouragement, including economic help and technical assistance, are certainly needed, whether from the government, NGOs or any other source. In fact I have seen several small villages and hamlets suffering acute water scarcity just because one or two million rupees could not be arranged for some water conservation work. In such conditions more funds and support for water conservation can be a life-saver, while more regular and wider support for improving watersheds, catchments, ponds, wells and other water sources and rejuvenation of rivers is also needed.

However a very important issue here is how these funds and support are provided and utilized. If due care is not taken to strengthen community processes and community work, then the possibilities of durable benefits with a wider reach and sustainability may be considerably reduced. If on the other hand due care is taken to ensure that the community is strengthened and in particular its spirit of contribution of voluntary work is enhanced, then the benefits of any such development project or intervention are likely to be not only durable and sustained, but in addition the community is likely to take forward the work in many more creative ways.

This realization has been enhanced in many important ways by the recent experience of Jal Sahelis (women volunteers for water conservation and related work) in Bundelkhand region of India. Recognized by their sky blue dress these water volunteers mobilized by Parmarth voluntary organization have been becoming increasingly visible and closely involved in dozens of important water conservation initiatives in this region, providing much needed relief to many villages from water scarcity with work relating to restoration and repair of water tanks, rejuvenation of small rivers and more routine work relating to preventing wastage and excessive exploitation of water. In addition they have also contributed to improving sanitation and better implementation of drinking water supply and related schemes and programs. Their work has already won appreciation at very high levels.

Recently to obtain wider reach of their efforts, in February this year (2025) a water conservation foot march of nearly 300 jal sahelis, joined for various stretches by a considerable number of local people, was organized. This has helped a lot to increase authentic, field-based information about various aspects of water scarcity in a wide part of Bundelkhand region, as well as regarding the steps that are likely to be more effective for tackling these various situations of water scarcity. This water march enabled jal sahelis to share their inspirational efforts of water conservation with many more people, and in turn they also benefited from the experiences of other people they heard. As the march progressed from one village to another and several meetings were held in various villages, several hundred more women volunteered to become jal sahelis.

When I recently met several of these jal sahelis who had participated in this march, what gave me most hope for future was the very inspirational spirit of their voluntarism. They all had important household duties and farm work to which they were committed, but still they left their village homes for this march. They walked for nearly 300 km (on average 15 km per day), in the middle of many difficulties, yet never complained regarding any problems or difficulties. Instead of expecting any income from this long stretch of journey of many days, they tried to raise small donations to contribute to the march expenses.

This is in keeping with their earlier efforts when they had worked for days together as volunteers for work such as rejuvenation of rivers. Hence as a model of water conservation based on community strength and the spirit of voluntarism, jal sahelis have brought considerable hope to the efforts for protecting environment at a time when such hope is really needed.

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*The writer is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include Protecting Earth for Children, Man over Machine, Planet in Peril, and A Day in 2071