G aurav Jain realised the magnitude of the water crisis in Chennai when he returned to the city on his semester break.
By then his apartment complex in Purasawalkam had started relying on private tankers. Gaurav, a resident of Chennai and a third-year student of engineering at a Bengaluru college, decided he had to become a campaigner.
“I noticed we were not conserving enough water,” says Gaurav, who is a member of Why Waste, a youth-run non-for-profit organisation that works towards changing the mindset of people towards natural resources and the environment.
After Gaurav explained the issue to his team members in Bengaluru, the group decided to extend their activities to Chennai. The team created a video and a module on how to save water, that could be circulated. They are also in talks with a radio channel to help them spread the word on conservation.
Now, with Gaurav playing a stellar role, Why Waste is driving a series of door-to-door campaigns at apartment complexes and colonies in Purasaiwalkam.
Gaurav has teamed up with a few friends and together, they take the conservation message to apartment forums.
“In a week, we cover five to six apartments,” says 20-year-old Gaurav, who is a head-coordinator with Why Waste.
Gaurav has already seen some success. He has persuaded the association at his apartment complex, 36 Carat, to have aerators installed.
“The Association bought it in bulk and said that every flat must install them,” he says.
They are next working with a vendor to give aerators at a subsidised rate to other apartments.
Co-founded by 19-year-old Garvita Gulhati, Why Waste has been running the #GlassHalfFull movement, requesting people to fill the glass half-full unless otherwise requested. It recently received support from the National Restaurant Association of India that has promised to create awareness among member restaurants. She recently launched an online petition on Change.org ( change.org/WaterEmergency ) to declare a water emergency so that everyone wakes up and comes together to take charge and solve the issue.
( Think ‘Glocal’ is a section that features initiatives by residents’ groups across the country from which others can glean lessons for the development of their neighbourhoods )
