SST Pledges to Amplify their Commitment Towards Water Conservation in Rural Communities

350 desilting projects including desilting of tanks and irrigation channels have been undertaken by SST increasing the water storage availability by 160 crore litres (57 million cubic feet).

Additionally, with active participation by the local communities and through their association with National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), SST has implemented programmes in Javadhu Hills in Tiruvannamalai & Tirupathur districts and Thally in Krishnagiri district in which 19 check dams and 120 farm ponds have been created. In partnership with other organizations, SST has also implemented watershed programs in Tirunelveli and Tiruvannamalai districts of Tamil Nadu.

SST has also desilted 7 water bodies in Krishnagiri district inside the forests, with the support of the government, which has in turn increased water availability for wild animals. SST also plans to invest over 10 crore rupees in the next three years for water conservation initiatives.

Sharing his views, Swaran Singh IAS (R), Chairman, Srinivasan Services Trust, “SST's commitment to serve rural communities is driven by one vision ‘to make rural India self-sustainable and empowered’. This additional investment in water conservation is a step closer to that vision. SST will continue to identify locations and implement programs using scientific methods to help with the sustainable management of water resources. We believe this initiative will enable the organisation to make a significant impact on the lives of the communities it serves.”

Through these initiatives, SST has not only restored the original capacity of the tanks but also increased groundwater levels in surrounding villages, preventing flooding and improving the socio-economic status of the community in these areas. With this additional water availability, farmers can increase the number of crops cultivated in a year and increase the area under cultivation.

Over the years, SST’s commitment towards promoting sustainable development and towards empowering local communities, reflects in the range of initiatives undertaken by the enterprise.

Srinivasan Services Trust (SST), the social arm of TVS Motor Company and Sundaram-Clayton Limited started working in villages from mid 1990s. Starting with a model of philanthropy, it matured into a model centred on community participation in all its projects. Today, SST works in ,2500 villages in the country with 2,000 villages in Tamil Nadu.

It follows a holistic and participatory approach of village development, working very closely with the community and the government. SST’s focus is to bring about sustainable development in villages through Total Community Involvement. Society building through development of women and children, conservation of water, providing holistic health and education infrastructure by renovating the government infrastructure and preserving the environment are its main focus areas. SST works towards economic development of the community by helping them to set up microenterprises and supporting them to improve agriculture and livestock income.

SST nudge communities to embrace practices towards better quality of life by ensuring a participatory approach right from planning to execution of activities. SST’s long-term goal is to create robust communities, through a strong bonding and a sense of ownership among community propelling sustained growth of the villages.