pond restoration

For almost two decades, dedicated efforts have been tackling the severe challenges of saltwater intrusion and poor hygiene, especially menstrual health, in the Sundarbans. But solving these issues isn't easy — especially in a region where every hard-earned rupee is vital for survival, making sustainable solutions even more urgent.

Anshul Gupta, the commissioner of the Ujjain Municipal Corporation, MP, restored a once-dilapidated pond, Yam Talaiya, with the help of volunteers. The pond now has a raised water-holding capacity.

Called bavkhals, these age-old ponds once nurtured coastal wadis (orchards and farms) but had become filled with waste over the years. Until one man decided to breathe life into them.

The Better India, along with the Environmentalist Foundation of India, is fighting the severe drought in Tamil Nadu by restoring ponds in Nagapattinam, one of the worst-hit districts in the state.