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.