Water Conservation (NRM)

CODE: RC-MTV-ENV-2/24

Work:

The volunteers will work closely with local community members and perform following tasks:
• Protection & conservation of our natural resources.
• Devise methodology to protect and replenish these fresh water sources using traditional methods and locally available resources.
• Create awareness on conserving every drop of water through all possible means for drinking, household uses, agriculture and overall environment.
• Join RUCHI team and communities in cleaning these fresh water sources
• Plant trees around the sources.
• Perform the most difficult task of sustaining interest of communities in their maintenance.
• Make short video clips for education

Accomodation and food

Basic, simple, safe & clean accommodation will be provided either at host family or RUCHI campus on sharing basis (Twin or triple) with common toilets and bath.

Food offered will be simple authentic Indian vegetarian and freshly cooked. Three meals a day will be served. Assistance while cooking is desired and self cooking can be organized by volunteers.

Location and leisure

Ruchi campus is located near Bandh village. It is 30 km from Kalka and 60 km from Chandigarh. Bandh village is small located in interior mountainous area and the volunteers will have a unique opportunity to live with nature in a peaceful environment. RUCHI campus is one km. from the village.

Self organized city tours and excursions. Old Sikh and Hindu temples in the near vicinity can be visited. Nearby Kasauli town is another hill station as a tourist attraction. A visit to Shimla will offer an opportunity to see high Himalayan Mountains.

Project hosted by

RUCHI, a not-for-profit organization working since 1983, is affiliated with international and national voluntary service networks. RUCHI is a member of Network of Voluntary Development in Asia (NVDA), full member of Coordinating Committee of International Voluntary Service (CCIVS) and a candidate member of Alliance of European Voluntary service Organization (ALLIANCE).

Directions to meeting point

Kalka

Additional comments

The project area gets ample rainfall but still there is a perpetual shortage of water in dry months. The problem is more of management and not availability. Every drop of water needs to be conserved.

Since ages, the mountain people depend on natural spring to meet their fresh water requirements. The area has abundance of fresh water natural springs. These resources are under tremendous pressure due to environmental degradation, human negligence paired with his rapid thirst for urbanisation.

RUCHI has worked towards protection and development of these fresh water springs for more than 20 years, but still a lot has to be done.