WE NEED YOUR HELP TO CREATE A ONE-OF-A-KIND RAIN GARDEN FOR RESIDENTS OF DWARKA IN DELHI. READ OUR STORY AND FUND GENEROUSLY.

We are students of The Shri Ram School, Moulsari, Gurugram. Our names are Taira Bhargava and Tia Bhalla. Our primary aim is to combat the growing water scarcity in New Delhi and to make it water positive. Inspired by the ancestral Indian and International techniques of recharging groundwater, we propose to convert barren land into rain gardens by constructing bioswales and trenches for rainwater harvesting. 

Our very first project is planned in Sagarpur West in Dwarka, New Delhi. We propose to develop a sustainable public park with rainwater harvesting facilities of bioswales and trenches, hoping that in time the community will benefit from both the rising water tables along with the health and environmental benefits accruing from developing a green lung.

THIS IS HOW THE PLACE LOOKS AT PRESENT

ARCHITECT'S IMPRESSION OF HOW THE PLACE WOULD LOOK AFTER TRANSFORMATION

THE ACTUAL PLAN OF THE RAIN GARDEN

The funds will be used to convert the adjoining barren grounds to rain gardens. It measures approximately 2 acres. The park will be developed and used for multi-purpose functions of rainwater harvesting, recreational space and as a much needed green lung for the community. We hope that this project will help in creating a sustainable community by making them water positive in time with the park recharging groundwater below and the green lung above abate pollution and climate change. We also plan to create a recreational corner for children made from recycled goods.

We are undertaking this campaign in partnership with the students and teachers of The Shri Ram School. Our aim is to raise INR 5,60,000. This is being done in partnership with an NGO. All funding has 80G tax benefits.

India has about 4% of the world’s freshwater resources and accounts for ¼ of the world’s groundwater, ranking it among the top ten water-rich countries. Despite this, India has designated a water-stressed region. 

According to a 2018 report by the Government-run think tank Niti Aayog, a total of 20 cities including New Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai are poised to run out of groundwater, affecting 100 million people. This may be a wider glimpse of India's future as the water crisis spreads. As water runs out, the country may have to confront a series of associated problems: food insecurity, vulnerability during heat waves, diseases due to deteriorating sanitation and regional conflicts over water access.

Two major cities have experienced an acute water shortage in the last two years. Bengaluru suffered heightened water crisis last year and Chennai reeled under the same water stress this year giving credence to Niti Aayog’s report on water crisis in India.

Delhi and the NCR at present are no exception with almost all zones being exploited. Moreover, a recent newspaper article in March 2019 corroborated Delhi’s water woes. The headlines stated that there were only 1200 rainwater harvesting units in a city of 2 crores. In the absence of any corrective and conservation measures undertaken by the city, the looming threat of a severe water crisis does not seem to be a distant reality.

COST SHEET

We aim to raise INR 5,60,000 through this crowdfunding campaign. 

ABOUT US & THIS CAMPAIGN

We, Taira and Tia, are from the Shri Ram School, Moulsari. We are in grades 11 and 9 respectively. In the course of the summer, we were quite alarmed to hear of the growing water scarcity in all parts of India. There were continuous news reports on almost every national and international television channel about the spreading water crisis. A report by Niti Aayog, a government-run think tank, confounded our worst fears; Delhi, too, would run out of groundwater by 2020. We no longer could sit on the sidelines watching our home city fall to this plight. Both of us, thus, took up this mission on a war footing. Our long-term aim is to make our city water positive and sustainable. We begin our initiative by working with the water-stressed Sagarpur area of Dwarka to push up its water tables.

PARTNERS

The FARMER - Foundation For Agriculture Resources Management and Environmental Remediation, NGO is established in 2002 is working at a national level for the welfare of mainly farmers, rural youths, women and for overall sustainable rural development in the field of agriculture and allied industries. Nowadays the activities of FARMER are mainly focused on western UP through the training programs related to Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Organic Cultivation, Quality Control of Agri Inputs and Soil and Pesticide Contamination in Agri-food produce.

Our design partner is Environmental Design Solutions and this project has also been approved by South Delhi Municipal Corporation. FARMER is our mentor and guiding light in this project. 

TESTIMONIALS

LOCATION

GENERAL OVERVIEW

According to a 2018 report by the government-run think tank Niti Aayog, a total of 20 cities including New Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai are poised to run out of groundwater affecting 100 million people. This may be a glimpse of India's future as the water crisis spreads. As water runs out, the country may have to confront a series of associated problems: food insecurity, vulnerability during heat waves, diseases due to deteriorating sanitation and regional conflicts over water access.

THE TEAM

We are a team of two students from the Shri Ram School, Moulsari, but seem to be growing. We have collaborated with the NGO, FARMER who is mentoring us from the identification of the water-stressed locality to the implementation of our project. Recently, we have 7 volunteers from a green architectural firm, Environmental Design Solutions, who have committed to participate in our efforts to make Delhi water positive. The RWA of Shivpuri, Sagarpur West in Dwarka have been very supportive and 40 residents have volunteered to give us full support in creating and maintaining the health and well being of the proposed green lung.

HOW TO FUND THIS CAMPAIGN

Please support this campaign using a Credit/Debit card, Paytm, Net-banking, etc. Foreign funding is not accepted.

PROJECT APPROVAL LETTER

HOW RAIN GARDENS WORK?

See the visual depiction below.