AquaKraft Group Ventures (AquaKraft) today announced a strategic partnership with the Art of Living Water project (AOL) with an objective to make India Water +ve by 2030. The strategic partnership will leverage the experience and on ground impact of AOL and green energy efficient and sustainable drinking water & sanitation technologies by AquaKraft in a collaborative, collective & co-operative framework integrating all the stakeholders in an inclusive manner leading to water balance, accounting & sustainability.
The Art of Living organization founded by the world-renowned humanitarian and spiritual leader Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ji through its social projects, aims at reaching every corner of the nation and providing a solution to India’s acute water security.
The Art of Living has been working tirelessly to make India water positive through its numerous interventions. And here are some impact figures. The organization has been rejuvenating 70 rivers/streams across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh & Andhra Pradesh. More than 64,585 recharge structures have been constructed to benefit over 34.5 million people in upwards of 19,400 villages, increasing the water storage capacity by 25.02 crore liters. The organization has also constructed more than 20,000 water recharge structures under The Art of Living JalTara in 50 villages of the Jalna district, Maharashtra, increasing the ground water table by 14 feet, resulting in increased crop yield of 42% and more than doubling the farmers’ income. Over 6.5 lakh trees have been planted under River Rejuvenation Projects, and 2.2 lakh farmers have been trained in natural farming.
“Water has a deep relation with life. The Sanskrit word for water is apa and the word also symbolizes love. In the ancient Indian tradition, the mountains, rivers, and trees were perceived as being sacred and were honored. It’s only when we start moving away from our connection to Nature and our own selves, that we begin polluting and destroying the environment. At The Art of Living, we have been working towards reviving this connection with nature. The Art of Living’s JalTara project has been working towards solving the water crisis in India.”
On the use of technology, Gurudev says, “We also suffer from the misconception that ecological degradation is an inevitable by-product of technology and development. But the two need not be mutually exclusive. The purpose of technology is to harness nature, to bring information and comfort to human beings.”
AquaKraft Projects Pvt. Ltd., (www.aquakraft.net) the flagship company of AquaKraft Group Ventures, established in July 2010, is an innovation driven, next generation, for profit social enterprise focused on providing clean drinking water & sanitation to one and all. AquaKraft specializes in developing and operating revenue generating models that contribute to resolving a global crisis in water management & distribution as also sanitation, through a time-tested technology that is GREEN, environment friendly and sustainable. AquaKraft’s business model is built on two key premises – clean drinking water and sanitation are critical human needs in societies across the world; and governments as well as the private sector need to come together to deploy sustainable and affordable solutions powered by technology.
AquaKraft’s Digital innovation, AqVerium – World’s 1st Digital Water Bank (www.aqverium.com), will onboard all the rejuvenation projects undertaken by AOL and open a Digital Water Savings Bank account for each of them. The idea is to encourage water savings by all stakeholders and recognize the economic value of water. Based on a impact reported, a detailed Water Audit will be undertaken leading to a Water Balance Sheet. Water +ve projects will then be issued AquaKredits @1000 litres of water saved and stored in the Digital Water Savings Bank Account. These AquaKredits, which act as a tool for impact measurement, can then be offset by Corporates or bought by qualified individuals who wish to incentivize water savings.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr.Subramanya Kusnur – Founder Chairman & CEO of AquaKraft Group Ventures said “ We are blessed by this partnership and humbly wish to express our sincere gratitude to Sri Sri Gurudev Ravi Shankar ji for his grace and blessings. His inspiration is infectious and is resplendent from the impact he has driven at the grass root level leveraging volunteerism, developing leadership, driving sustainability while restoring the hydrological balance. Our partnership will drive the entire water ecosystem from water harvesting to water accounting powered by green, energy efficient & sustainable filtration technologies blended with digital innovations and most importantly honest & genuine feet on the ground.”
One of the most integral elements of the partnership is AquaKraft’s livelihood generation innovation which is a combination of a Hand Washing Station, Water ATM and pantry which makes healthy water & healthy food accessible to the common man at affordable prices. SWACHH-INN will leverage the vast volunteering and youth leadership of AOL and democratize clean drinking water & food at public places. The program, which is qualified for financing under the PMEGP, will be managed by SHGs / entrepreneurs, who will sell water, tea, coffee & food and generate livelihood while servicing the financing.