Sujalam Sufalam – Abhiyan 2018-2019
“SAVE
WATER, SAFE LIFE”
There is drought everywhere. Farmers, labourers, Adivasi’s
have no water to drink.
Day by day, the suicides of farmers are increasing &
hence it has become a great challenge for their family members to survive.
Though at some places the farmers do not commit suicide, their mental &
financial conditions are getting worst day by day.
There's no work anywhere" said Maruti Konkani, a
farmer from Nandurbar district in Maharashtra. Almost half of the Maharashtra state
has been declared drought-hit with farmers from across the country & is
seeking emergency help. The drought was declared in as many as 180 of the 350
tehsils in the state. The state reportedly received only 77% its average
rainfall this year.
Distressed farmers came to Mumbai demanding drought
declaration and seeking relief from the state. Public Works Department Minister
Eknath Shinde said, "Government has declared relief measures for drought.
Be it water, fodder for animals, water tankers, etc. everything will be
provided."
Being a national NGO, “Bharatiya Jain Sanghatana (BJS)
Sujalam Sufalam” has stepped into
the nationwide footprint, working towards the benefit of all. It is a non-political, non-profit, NGO that
coordinates with the local government agencies and volunteers for immediate
relief support. It has kept aside the barriers of caste, community, religion,
and political party.
BJS Sujalam Sufalam has participated in the various Disaster
Response activities in all major disasters since 1993. BJS Sujalam Sufalam
works for the social causes like
rehabilitation of the children of suicidal farmer’s, drought relief and other
disaster management.
BJS Sujalam Sufalam had earlier participated in the program
contributed in 5 talukas making it drought free. Also, BJS Sujalam
Sufalam has managed this program
successfully in Beed, Latur & Usmanabad.
In the
year 2017, with the help of Pani Foundation, BJS Sujalam Sufalam has made 400 villages from 30 districts of
Maharashtra drought free. Then, BJS Sujalam Sufalam has realized the necessity
of making Maharashtra drought free. Therefore, with the past experience BJS Sujalam Sufalam has taken up this challenge in association
with the government in 2018, BJS Sujalam Sufalam has taken a revolutionary (CSR) approach towards the state Maharashtra Drought
Free, starting with the district of ‘Buldhana’ with the aim of making the
district drought free in a year.
“SAVE
WATER, SAVE PLANET”
It has decided to
inaugurate and start the project work on March 3rd, 2018 & has proposed
that it would be completed with the development of the catchment area in the
district by April 2019. The machines will be working for the ‘Water Cup’
competition of Paani Foundation from 22nd April till 22nd May,
except three talukas in Buldhana. The competition brings villagers together to
get trained in watershed management and perform voluntary manual labour or shramdaan
to build watershed structures. This year, 4,000 villages
from 75 talukas in Maharashtra took part in the competition. The Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mr. Devendra
Fadnavis, who strongly supported the movement and also performed Shramdaan,
generously granted Rs. 1.5 lakh per village toward the diesel costs.
Satyameva
Jayate Water Cup competition 2018 was announced on 12th January at Mumbai.
Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri. Devendra Fadnavis, Shri. Amir Khan, actor and founder-
Paani Foundation, Smt. Kiran Rao, Shri. Satyajit Bhatkal, Shri Shantilal
Muttha- Founder BJS, renowned industrialist Shri. Ratan Tata, Shri. Mukesh
Ambani was among the dignitaries present on this occasion.
The vision and mission are to make the entire
district drought-free with the help of 100-150 JCB / machines, in a year.
Including active participation from the Government of Maharashtra, District
administration, various NGOs, Corporate funding agencies, Public
representatives and villagers in this campaign. For this purpose, BJS Sujalam Sufalam
is collaborating with organizations like Mission Samruddhi, Swadesh Foundation,
Shantilal Muttha Foundation, Desh Apanaiye and a few others. Conducting programs
for the empowerment of women, tree- plantation & basic sanitation in
Buldhana district. Generating awareness about rural development and importance of water among
the people of the district, promoting & initiating the campaign to ‘Save
Water’ and apply different methodologies & technologies to recycle water
management would help to initiate the campaign. Documenting the project from
start to finish for the same with the successful completion of this one-year
pilot will be implemented to the same model that can be followed and scaled up in
any other districts to make it drought free.
