S M Sehgal Foundation and DCB Bank inaugurate the Capacity Building & Experience Sharing Workshop Series 'Jalagam'

Titled ‘Jalagam’ the workshop series was graced by Vini Mahajan, Secretary, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti; Ashok Goel, Commissioner, Ministry of Jal Shakti; and trustees of S M Sehgal Foundation Neelima Khetan and Dr. Suhas P. Wani; and Mr. Avinash Mishra, former member NITI Aayog. The panel sessions featured discussions around community adaptability and sustenance mechanisms in addressing water-related challenges. The proceedings from the four workshops in the series will form part of a white paper for sharing with policymakers, practitioners, and academia.

'Jalagam' marks a significant step toward featuring community adaptability and sustenance mechanisms at the intersectionality of water and climate change. The workshop series aims at fostering collaboration and sharing experiences in the field of water resources management and bringing out best practices across regions in the states of Delhi, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh.

Describing the value of ‘Contribute to Society’ at DCB Bank and its impact, Mr. Murali M. Natrajan, Managing Director and CEO, DCB Bank, shared, “Water, the lack of it impedes progress and sustainability of the nation, its people, and the planet. We cannot ignore the relationship between water and waste management affecting the overall health and water of a nation.  The Bank’s CSR projects and activities mainly focus on water crisis, climate change, and sustainable livelihoods & preferably Nature Based Solutions (NBS).

The Bank has invested CSR resources to support, collaborate, and work with communities and experts across India, to implement impactful changes in sustainable livelihood, protection of water, and climate change adaptation projects that are sustainable over the long term. Projects with the S M Sehgal Foundation in watershed development have revived more than 5,00,000 square feet of water bodies and ponds and harvested more than 35 crore liters of rainwater. This has positively impacted over 14,000 marginal and small farmers.”

Anjali Makhija, Trustee and CEO, of S M Sehgal Foundation shared, “The joint efforts of DCB Bank Limited and Sehgal Foundation have contributed significantly to water conservation and sustainability, positively transforming the lives of many communities across India. The success of the workshop series will mark a milestone in the ongoing efforts to build resilient communities and provide collective impetus to the pressing issues of water and climate change.”

DCB Bank Limited and S M Sehgal Foundation formed a partnership in 2017 to embark on community projects focused on water. This collaboration has made a significant impact, benefiting more than 14,500 community members across five states, namely Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan in India, resulting in the harvesting of over 350 million (35 crores) litres of water.

The projects include groundwater augmentation through check dams, rejuvenating ponds for surface water storage, and rainwater harvesting units in schools to enable access to drinking water.