Green Vigil Foundation, Nagpur, India

Since 2017, Green Vigil Foundation, a Non-Government Organization (NGO), has been an active partner in the EarthEcho Water Challenge. Each year Kaustav Chatterjee, the Founder of Green Vigil Foundation in Nagpur, India gathers several volunteers and staff to conduct water monitoring at their local lakes (Sonegaon Lake, Futala Lake, Gandhisagar Lake, and Sakardara Lake). In 2022 alone, over 50,000 people were reached through the efforts conducted by Green Vigil Foundation. On World Water Day (WWD) in March 2022, the organization implemented a water monitoring program and a citizen outreach campaign. This year’s campaign “Ground Water: Making The Invisible Visible,” aimed to engage citizens on various water-related issues, inspire conservation of water resources, educate them about the declining groundwater level, and implement nature-based solutions like rejuvenation and desilting of lakes. Their WWD event also educated the community on rainwater harvesting, treating wastewater including sewage before disposing it in water bodies, creating buffer zones of vegetation along water courses, and more. Citizens were also acquainted with the severe water scarcity in Nagpur witnessed this summer and the crucial need to protect, conserve and adapt to it by implementing water sustainability practices and lowering their water footprints.

This year, Kaustav Chatterjee delivered a lecture on the “Impact of Idol Immersion” which focused on bodies of water and the need for conservation at Kamla Nehru Mahavidyalaya, Nagpur. Additional actions beyond water monitoring that the organization implemented included a Plog Run conducted from RTM Nagpur University Gate to Deekshabhoomi via Vikekanand Smarak which received a huge response from the citizens.

Green Vigil Foundation also conducted a citizen outreach campaign at Maharajbagh Garden interacting with citizens on various environmental issues like global warming, climate change, energy conservation, adopting green living practices, reducing carbon footprints, and adopting a sustainable lifestyle. Members presented numerous posters, placards, and banners with essential messages on the environment. Another initiative facilitated by Nagpur Municipal Corporation and Green Vigil Foundation was a citizen outreach campaign, themed “Invest in Our Planet” at Maharajbagh on Earth Day in April 2022. During the campaign, members of Green Vigil Foundation discussed with citizens the impact of climate change, and biodiversity loss and advocated for adopting green living practices, low-carbon lifestyles,  water sustainability practices, phasing out single-use plastic, and so on. The campaign received engagement from the citizens of Nagpur.

On behalf of EarthEcho International and the Water Challenge program, we would like to thank Kaustav Chatterjee and the Green Vigil Foundation team for their partnership and efforts to make a difference in their community.

For more information about Green Vigil Foundation visit: https://www.facebook.com/GreenVigilFoundation/

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