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

Revitalization of Rivers In India
Draft Policy Recommendation
was about mindset change. While planting trees may not be a panacea to the massive
environmental degradation we are witnessing, it is certainly a universal first step towards
a living that is harmonious with the planet. If we visit places like Auroville, we can find
that the whole Auroville is centered around a banyan tree. Indian villages were earlier
sensitive to such beliefs, and every village had trees as a source of veneration. Greenhands
tried to bring back that sensitivity to our culture.
The approach of Greenhands was rooted in the rural culture and need and promoted
sustainable use of resources like land and labor. Creating a community spirit is an
important aspect at Greenhands. Without such a spirit, it would be impossible to achieve
a multi-million sapling plantation initiative. Activities of Isha Foundation like Isha Yoga
Programs, Village Olympics etc. helped in creating a community feeling. Pre-plantation
and post-plantation resource management, livelihood opportunities, and the feeling of
being part of a cause greater than oneself, created a community feeling among people
associated with the project. Village food festivals, Sounds of Isha music concerts etc.
attracted people living in the city too. Greenhands provided people at all levels with an
avenue to contribute to the project.
An important reason that contributed to the success of the project was that the raison
d’être for Greenhands was selflessness. This helped Greenhands to receive the support
of people in the rural areas. Once the buy-in was received, the education and awareness
programme helped in consolidating the mobilization. At a social level, Greenhands was
able to mobilize people due to their affiliation with Isha Foundation. The receiver of
the awareness campaign should be sensitive to the sufferings of the world and be open
enough so that an urge for action emerges in the receiver. In this project, this was done
by providing the villagers with tools that helped them to move towards a higher level of
consciousness. By planting a tree and taking responsibility for its nurture and growth,
every individual experienced a connection with the source that sustained their existence,
the planet itself.
Greenhands also used attractive campaign tools and high profile objectives – like creating
a Guinness World Record – to raise profile about the project. Designations like ‘Project
Greenhands Ambassador’, promotional films and functions featuring celebrities increased
the profile of the project among the masses.
2.
Weakness and Strength
By its inherent nature, Greenhands lacked the capability to build strong information
systems based on volunteer feedback. Greenhands is a volunteer driven movement and
not a project per se. People would not like to keep documentation of the service activities
Annexures
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