Hinduja Foundation Revives Himalayan Springs And Forests

In a major step towards sustainable development, the philanthropic division of 110-year-old Hinduja Group, along with Central Himalayan Rural Action Group (CHIRAG), has declared progress toward water harvesting and ecosystem recovery in the Himalayan region under its flagship Jal Jeevan program.

The project has positively impacted more than 52,000 individuals residing in remote villages of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, where villages have been facing shortage of water from drying springs and degraded forest cover for centuries. With an integrated spring shed management and afforestation strategy, 265 Himalayan springs have been restored, adding 12.96 crore litres of water every year, and 300 rainwater harvesting tanks have been built, harvesting 96 lakh litres of rainwater yearly.

Besides, the greening of more than 300 hectares of degraded land which is about the area of 700+ Olympic football fields has been achieved by planting 1.45 lakh saplings with a 92.6% survival rate. All this has helped in enhancing soil moisture, biodiversity, and climate resilience in ecologically sensitive mountain areas.

Apart from environmental benefits, the project has lessened the physical load on women and children, who used to walk many kilometres just to access water. With less difficulty in access, communities can now spend more time on education, agriculture, and livelihood production, and enhance health and hygiene outcomes. Over the period from FY19 to FY25, the project created 59,942 person-days of jobs, impacting 6,830 members of the local community with a specific emphasis on women and vulnerable groups as natural resource custodians.

Paul Abraham, Hinduja Foundation President, emphasized that through the Jal Jeevan initiative, as part of India's Vision 2030 for water security and climate resilience, the collaboration embodies the philosophy of the Himalayas, coexisting with nature while developing resilience for the future. The revitalized springs, thriving plantations, and empowered communities embody a platform for long-term climate action and sustainable development. This is only the start of what community-led, inclusive conservation can do.

Badrish Singh Mehra, CHIRAG's Executive Director, recognized the Hinduja Foundation's dedication and noted that the partnership has revived both ecosystems and livelihoods, returning dignity and resilience to the Himalayan belt's thousands of families.

Supported by Hinduja Group entities like Ashok Leyland, Gulf Oil, IndusInd Insurance, Hinduja Renewables, and others, the project has also won recognition from NITI Aayog and the UN CEO Water Mandate for its effective, climate-resilient strategy in the Ganga basin.

The Hinduja Foundation, set up in 1968 with the vision of Shri Parmanand Deepchand Hinduja, continues to foster social relevance in areas like education, health, water stewardship, rural development, art, culture, and sports, reflecting deeply with the purpose-driven ideology of the Hinduja Group.