To address persistent wastewater issues affecting Nagla Chandi’s primary school and the community’s drinking water system, researchers from Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham’s Sustainable and Resilient Communities Working Group collaborated with local residents in a community awareness program. The initiative, held from February 4 to 9, 2023, in Mathura District, Uttar Pradesh, aimed to engage the village community in sustainable water management solutions.
Program Highlights:
- Community Mapping and Awareness: Researchers conducted a participatory rural appraisal, mapping wastewater sources and identifying households discharging greywater into shallow open drains. This helped visualize the impact of wastewater on the local environment and health.
- Stakeholder Engagement: The Amrita team engaged local stakeholders, including the village Pradhan (head) and the primary school’s Principal, emphasizing the shared responsibility in resolving the drainage issue. This created awareness about the risk posed to the children and the Jivamritam water purification system, installed in 2019 to provide safe drinking water to the community.
- Practical Solutions Through Collaboration: During a community meeting, residents and researchers agreed on practical steps, such as clearing buffalo waste and wood obstructing drainage paths and using a bulldozer to restore the main drain’s function. This intervention highlighted how immediate, collaborative efforts can protect community resources and improve hygiene.
- Long-term Capacity Building: Emphasizing the role of local governance, the team encouraged strengthening the Village Water and Sanitation Committee. This approach prepared the community for ongoing, sustainable management of drainage and sanitation.
Through collective problem-solving and stakeholder involvement, this awareness program set a model for community-led sustainable development, aligning with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on clean water and sanitation.
