In India, the need to preserve and foster water Resource Management has increased quite significantly. As an extremely scarce resource, fresh water must be managed efficiently. Coastal Gujarat Power Ltd (CGPL), in partnership with Arid Communities and Technologies (ACT), is striving hard to make a positive impact on the lives of the people living in its vicinity. ACT is a professional voluntary organisation based in Bhuj, Kutch district in Gujarat. The organisation conducts research oriented projects following an agenda based on a community’s requirements. 

The partnership has proved to be a giant stride forward as CGPL- Tata Power Community Development Trust (TPCDT) along with its partners Geo-Science Services (GSS), which operates in the area, and ACT could motivate and educate people on the significance of preserving water resources.

This has resulted in getting more stakeholders join CGPL to be a part of the Participatory Water Resource Management (PWM) drive in the region. This community-led and participatory approach empowered people of local communities to utilise the available water resources judiciously.

A geohydrological study was conducted by the concerned parties to ascertain the water balance, aquifer planning, status of groundwater, and the quality of water in the region.

As part of this initiative, monitoring networks have been set up in villages to assess the impact of the renovation on all the sites. Monthly and seasonal monitoring is being carried out by Bhujal Jankaars (community volunteers). Village-level groundwater monitoring committees have also been set up. With this quality of various sources of drinking water and their availability is ascertained regularly.

As a part of the workshops conducted by CGPL, people are sensitised to the problems associated with water resource management. It also educates people on how things can be managed efficiently in the future. During the workshop, scope for partnerships that could lead to better implementation of the initiative is also discussed. Views and feedback from the participants are recorded to ensure that future PWM programmes are well-organised resulting in wider knowledge sharing. The workshop has set a benchmark for other blocks in the region to learn about ground water conservation.