Magsaysay award recipient Rajendra Singh has blamed expanding cities for the water crisis in the country.

The Rajasthan-based water conservationist Rajendra Singh popularly known as ‘waterman of India’ said: “When our tears dry up then rivers dry up. We are living in an age where rivers are gradually becoming drains. The community needs to realise that the river is our life. Expanding cities’ horizons are taking water from rivers and this in turn is leading to a water crisis.”

“There is a need for community-managed decentralised water management. We need to know that sustainable solutions lie with rural communities. We have to respect rivers and immediately work for both community and government to work together to revive river and water bodies,” said Rajendra Singh, a recipient of the Stockholm Water Prize in 2015 and runs an NGO called ‘Tarun Bharat Sangh’.

Addressing the two-day workshop on ‘community-led river rejuvenation for sustainable management of Jharkhand water resources’ organized by NGOs PHIA Foundation, Welthungerhilfe and the civil society forum at Ranchi on Thursday, Rajendra Singh suggested the community be made owner of the rivers.

The workshop aims at addressing the challenge of water crisis management with a focus on development and promoting sustainable, grassroots and policy level strategies for rejuvenating small rivers in Jharkhand.

Jharkhand, with its rich landscape of forests and water bodies, faces significant water management challenges with depleting water levels and rivers drying up due to climate change, pollution, and unsustainable practices. The workshop seeks to leverage traditional knowledge and modern technologies to preserve and rejuvenate these vital ecosystems by taking learnings from other states in India.

Jharkhand agriculture minister Dipika Pandey Singh admitted that the department faces maximum challenges related to water.

“Our department faces maximum challenges due to water. Agriculture in the state cannot run without water. As a public representative (MLA from Mahagama in Godda district) I have worked in my area on water bodies. Our department is ready to support any step suggested from the workshop,” said Dipika Pandey Singh.

Community representative from Khunti district, Bahadur Oraon said that the concept of jal, jungle and jameen (water, forest and land) is identified with tribals. “Rivers are being destroyed all over the country due to urbanization. In rural areas, we are in crisis as ponds are being destroyed due to the construction of buildings. Handpumps are being dug indiscriminately leading to depletion of water level at an alarming rate,” said Oraon.

The workshop discussed the action plan for the rejuvenation of small rivers by focusing on collective community actions, harnessing and utilising and passing down traditional knowledge to the next generation, mapping of rivers and identify and train community leaders who can further mobilize their communities, leverage funds through MGNREGA for creation of structures for revival of rivers and water bodies, making ridge to valley concept to harness running water.