“We have progressed in several areas, but the real game changer has been the availability of adequate water. It was only when water scarcity ended that we could move forward in other areas.” These words from Anita, a middle‑aged woman in Shyampur village of Rajasthan’s Karauli district, were deeply meaningful to me. As I complete five decades of travelling through villages struggling with water scarcity, her statement reflects what countless women and elders have told me over the years: water is the foundation on which all other development rests.
When I chose in the mid‑1970s to live my life as an independent rural journalist, I asked myself what kind of writer I should be. It soon became clear that the most important contribution I could make was to report on the problems of remote rural areas and the efforts being made to reduce the distress of people living there. As I travelled, I realized that water scarcity was often the most painful part of rural life. In many villages, people and farm animals faced acute shortages, especially in peak summer. Farming livelihoods suffered severely when irrigation water disappeared.
During the drought of the early 1980s in the Patha plateau of Uttar Pradesh’s Chitrakut district, I saw women of the Kol tribal community walking nearly five kilometres in scorching heat to fetch just two pitchers of water, often muddy and unsafe. Cattle, once treated with affection, were abandoned because they could survive without fodder for a few days but not without water. I still remember a woman crying as she applied vermillion on the forehead of her bullocks—a final gesture of respect before leaving them to fend for themselves. In another village, I saw a bullock sinking helplessly into mud while trying to reach the last remaining puddle in a dried‑up pond.
Elsewhere, wells had sunk so low that people took dangerous risks to draw water. Such scenes are rarer today due to government drinking‑water programmes, but water scarcity persists in many villages. Ecological damage—deforestation, shrinking rivers, encroachment on catchments—often causes water sources to dry up even when taps and pipes exist. This makes water conservation more crucial than ever. India’s rainfall is concentrated in the monsoon months, and traditional systems once captured rainwater effectively. Many of these systems declined during colonial rule and later lost priority to large engineering projects. Fortunately, several grassroots organizations revived traditional wisdom and combined it with modern watershed science.
Bundelkhand, spread across 14 districts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, has seen many such efforts. In Patha, Gaya Prasad Gopal—affectionately known as Gopal Ji—led water conservation work through ABSSS, collaborating with Oxfam, ActionAid and NABARD. Now in his eighties, he often sits among the many trees he planted and explains how traditional systems must be understood before applying modern science. He emphasizes community participation and indigenous tree planting, estimating that nearly one lakh trees have been planted through these efforts.
Shyampur village, where Anita lives, was largely barren a decade ago. SRIJAN created 18 new water bodies and renovated 14 more. A large tank was de‑silted, and fertile silt was spread on farms. Natural farming, which requires less water, was introduced. Today, nearly three‑fourths of the cultivated land has come under productive use. Jogipura village in the same district saw similar transformation, moving from hopelessness to new opportunities.
Parmarth, another major organization, created a cadre of women water volunteers called Jal Sahelis. They de‑silt ponds, clean water sources and raise awareness. Sarkunwar from Lalitpur district became a symbol of resilience, balancing family hardships with community leadership and eventually being elected to local governance. Parmarth also helped rejuvenate small rivers damaged by mining. Founder‑director Sanjay Singh says the Jal Sahelis have surpassed expectations, proving the power of voluntarism.
Water conservation becomes even more transformative when linked to justice for the poorest. ABSSS helped secure land for extremely poor families in Harijanpur village, then built a traditional‑style water tank. Formerly landless families became farmers, their children accessed education, and economic security followed. SRIJAN’s national coordinator Prasanna Khemaria says their work prioritizes the poorest and women, combining ecological protection with social justice.
A major challenge is sustaining water conservation after project periods end. Varsha Rathore of Seva Mandir in Udaipur stresses the need for strong community institutions. In Ramaj village, Seva Mandir’s check dams, gabions and tree plantations raised water tables and improved livelihoods. Community institutions help protect these gains, though involving younger generations remains a challenge.
On a personal note, after decades of documenting others’ efforts, I recently contributed to cleaning a well in Bhanwarpur village of Banda district. The poorest Dalit families depended on it, but it had become clogged with leaves and debris. With support from Vidyadham Samiti and voluntary labour from villagers, the well was restored, bringing clean water back to homes. This small effort gave me great satisfaction and strengthened my belief that even modest contributions matter. The ponds, tanks, wells and water bodies revived through such efforts serve not only people but also farm animals, stray animals, wildlife and birds.
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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, A Day in 2071 and When the Two Streams Met. Website: bharatdogra.in. YouTube: Bharat Dogra Save Earth Campaign
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