For the past 5 years, CLEAN-India Programme has been playing a pro-active role in creating awareness about protecting and taking care of the environment through various activities. The programme adopts a three-pronged approach by initiating environmental quality assessment, followed by awareness generation and action taken to improve the environment. The catalysts for change in the programme are school students and youth who, in turn, motivate their communities.

In terms of water quality assessment, our young champions receive scientific training on monitoring drinking water quality using the Jal TARA water-testing kit. Based on the data obtained on the level of pollutants in water, treatment methods are suggested and implemented by the community for drinking water conservation, augmentation and quality improvement.

Some of the initiatives of CLEAN-India in various parts of India which resulted in large-scale awareness among communities and concerned authorities are:

Tap Water and Roof-top Rainwater Harvesting: Many schools in the CLEAN-India cities and towns have either channelized the wastewater from potable water points/taps to gardens or are diverting the water for groundwater recharge. Roof-top rainwater harvesting is also being taken up as a major measure.

Tippy Tap for water conservation: An initiative of CLEAN-India Mysore, Tippy Tap is a simple device which dispenses a limited amount of water slowly and facilitates a thorough hand wash. In case of piped water supply, every time the tap is opened to wash hands, an average of 300 - 500 ml of water is utilized. Using Tippy Tap, it is possible to wash one’s hands thoroughly with only 60 to 80 ml of water, thus conserving water to a large extent.

Propagation of Dry Garden / Eco Lawns: As a step towards water conservation and propagation of native plant species, drought-resistant plantation (plants requiring less water) has been implemented in one of the schools of CLEAN-India Delhi.

Soak pit construction: Constructing soak pits near water points like hand pumps combats water run offs and water logging. This is a sanitation measure and also helps in recharge of ground water. CLEAN-India Amreli, Jhansi, Varanasi are some centres where such initiatives have been taken.

Tree plantation in water catchment area / riverbanks and clean-up drives near water bodies are some of the other initiatives taken up to preserve our water resources.

CLEAN-India Madurai carried out extensive community awareness programmes on remedial measures of water found contaminated with ammonia in a rainwater collection dam. The students conducted a cleanup drive near the area to stop solid waste from entering the dam.

Eco-Visarjan for preventing pollution in water bodies from various toxins released by harmful chemicals and toxic colours is practiced by CLEAN- India partners: CLEAN-India Indore and CLEAN-India Pune.

CLEAN-India Vijaywada informed the Municipal Commissioner about the presence of coliform bacteria in the Bundar canal water. Immediate action followed, by spraying bleaching powder.

CLEAN-India Kurnool not only informed the community regarding the presence of fluoride in their water but also, with the help of the government of A.P., distributed domestic defluoridation units to the BPL families.

In Udaipur, the CLEAN-India students found contaminations in the hand pump (Sukhadia Circle) water. They spread awareness by reporting the results in local newspaper, thereby succeeding in sealing the hand pump with the help of civic authorities.

All these activities are the sparks induced by CLEAN-India for the big blast needed to bring about the right set of environmental developments and changes.