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Women-Led Water Conservation Transforms Rajasthan's Karauli, Reviving Lives and Land

Community efforts, led by women and supported by Tarun Bharat Sangh, have turned the Serni river perennial, raised groundwater levels, and helped former dacoits return to farming.

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Overview

  • Women in Karauli convinced their husbands, many of whom were former dacoits, to abandon arms and join water conservation efforts, transforming the region's future.
  • With the support of Tarun Bharat Sangh, over 500 water bodies were built across the district, capturing rainwater and reviving agriculture and livestock farming.
  • The Serni river, once seasonal, now flows year-round, and groundwater levels have risen to just 5 to 10 feet below the surface, even during peak summer.
  • Water scarcity, which once forced migration, dacoity, and early marriages, has given way to stability, with families now growing crops like wheat, mustard, and pearl millet.
  • The efforts have also alleviated health risks from illegal mining and silicosis, offering a model for sustainable development in water-scarce regions.