NEW DELHI: Key experts and policymakers came together at The Times of India Water Summit 2025 to discuss grassroots awareness and the role of behavioural change in ensuring access to safe drinking water. The discussions centred on the Jal Jeevan Mission, highlighting community-driven solutions for sustainable water management.
Smriti Singh, State Programme Director of WaterAid UP, spoke about the critical role of community involvement in the success of the Jal Jeevan Mission. “Water conservation is a concept that is deeply linked to behavioural change. It has to start at the household level,” she said. Highlighting the challenges of implementation, she added, “Ensuring access to safe drinking water requires women’s participation at the community level. Historically, women have had to travel long distances to fetch water, increasing their workload and affecting their livelihood opportunities. Community engagement is essential to overcoming these challenges.”
She also cited successful grassroots initiatives, such as the development of village action plans and water security mapping. “By involving men, women, and children in the planning process, we were able to identify water sources, assess their sustainability, and introduce measures like rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge,” she explained.
Environmentalist Ramveer Tanwar, popularly known as the ‘Pond Man’ of India, emphasised the role of youth in water conservation. “If we don’t act now, future generations will only inherit polluted water bodies. The youth must step up and take responsibility,” he said. He recounted his initiative, ‘Selfie with Pond,’ which encouraged young professionals working in cities to reconnect with their village water bodies. “We challenged youth to visit their ancestral villages, take a selfie with a pond, and share it on social media. Thousands participated, realising the dire condition of these water bodies,” he added.
Brijraj Singh Yadav, IAS, Executive Director of S.W.S.M. (UP), highlighted the increasing stress on water resources due to rising consumption. “Water is vital not just for drinking but also for irrigation and industry. As our population grows, so does our demand, making conservation even more urgent,” he noted. Addressing the declining condition of traditional water bodies, he said, “Many ponds have deteriorated over the last decade, turning into garbage dumps. We must take urgent measures to restore them before the damage becomes irreversible.”
Venkatesh Dutta, Head of the Department of Environmental Science at Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, underscored the necessity of a mindset shift in both rural and urban areas. “We need to rethink how we manage water. Villages traditionally relied on ponds and wells, but urbanisation has altered these dynamics. We must implement structured recharge systems and geo-tagging to ensure sustainability. In cities, water is either drained into sewer systems or wasted. We need to adopt a circular approach—reuse, conserve, and return water to nature in its purest form. Pricing water appropriately could also drive conservation, as clean water is costlier than petrol,” he explained.
Radha Krishna Tripathi, Senior Media Advisor at S.W.S.M. (UP), discussed the role of the media in spreading awareness about water conservation. “Every city has rivers and water bodies that are often neglected or misidentified as drains. Recognising their value is the first step toward conservation,” he said. He stressed the importance of educating rural and urban populations about water quality and management. “For decades, many villages lacked access to clean water. Now, as we introduce chlorinated water, it takes time for people to understand its benefits. Behavioural changes don’t happen overnight. Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, we are working at the grassroots level to promote awareness and community participation,” he added.
