Revitalization of Rivers in India Draft Policy - Isha Guru Jaggi Vasudev

Revitalization of Rivers In India
Draft Policy Recommendation
formal departments. As the project started scaled up, there are now two divisions. One is
the operations – headed by zonal coordinators (who are in-charge of the nursery, planting
and monitoring work). The other is the Central Office team with the MIS, accounts and
fundraising team.
“The intensity and dedication with which people work here is unique. Whatever goals
are set by Sadhguru, people will implement it here, whatever the constraint may be. If
we look at the Guinness Record endeavor, it was a handful of people who drove the whole
initiative,” mentioned Maheshwari. Anand recollected that he was sleeping only 4 hours
during the months when Guinness World Record endeavor was going on. “Here, we do
not compare one person with the other. If they are giving their best, that is enough for
me,” said Sekar. “People are working here for something higher, which may not be visible
outside. We are here for spiritual growth. I left a comfortable job and came to Isha. I wish
to be with Sadhguru, and that’s why I am here. He has provided me with a platform to be
with him”, added Sekar. Sekar considered his role to be that of providing the volunteers
with the basic needs like food and shelter and an activity platform where the volunteers
can give their best.
Greenhands had found it challenging to get full-time volunteers who work exclusively
on this project. “We’ve been building the base in the past 2-3 years. Isha is having a
number of social projects. We need to give importance and encourage all the projects,”
opined Swami, in 2009 (Refer Annexure XI for the organization structure of Project
Greenhands).
TRANSFORMATORY NATURE
“What has been most encouraging is the enthusiasm with which people have responded. Even a
laborer earning daily wages to survive is willing to forgo one day’s work to help plant saplings.”
~ Sadhguru
Greenhands had undergone major changes with its implantation approaches. In the
earlier days of the project, Greenhands did not provide much focus on the type of trees
that were provided to the villagers. Post 2005, the feedback was that villagers aspired for
trees that were economically viable, like fruit trees and timber trees. “There are times
when I perceive that whatever we’ve done in earlier years were not that effective. Villagers
were asking ‘Why are you bringing Neem trees that we can raise ourselves?’And thus
we started focusing on fruit bearing trees. We’ve been learning quite a lot. From 2007
onwards, we stopped sapling plantation on the roadside, and decided that somebody has
to take responsibility for the saplings that are planted. We also demarcated the whole of
Annexures
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