Hailing from farmer family, Nimal champions revival of waterbodies

CHENNAI: There is a famous saying in Tamil, Neerindri amaiyaadhu ulagu, which translates to “There is no life without water.” Nimal Raghavan, a young climate activist from Tamil Nadu, has made it his life mission to impact lives by restoring waterbodies in India. This summer, he is working to help the people of Ramnad, one of the driest regions in the country.

“I come from a farmer family in the Cauvery Delta region, and we relied on farming for our livelihood. In 2018, the Gaja cyclone devastated our farms. Most of our coconut trees, which were a major source of income, were destroyed. It takes several years to regrow coconut trees, and people were struggling to recover from the aftermath of the cyclone,” shares Nimal.

Nimal further explains that water scarcity is a pressing issue in the region. While they receive enough rain and water from various sources, the lack of well-maintained waterbodies and water channels exacerbates the problem. “Waterbodies are either encroached upon or neglected, and this has resulted in water scarcity. Realising that this is the root cause of the issue, we have started working on restoring waterbodies,” says Nimal.

According to Nimal, creating awareness is crucial as restoring waterbodies can solve multiple problems, such as preventing floods during the rainy season and mitigating drought during the summer. “People are gradually becoming aware of the positive impact of waterbody restoration, and we share success stories from other regions to inspire them. We have observed that success stories have a more significant impact in motivating people compared to lectures or campaigns,” Nimal emphasises.

Nimal believes that reviving waterbodies is as crucial as reviving rivers. He expresses concern over the excessive pumping of groundwater through borewells without adequate recharge. “We cannot rely solely on groundwater indefinitely. We need to revive and restore wells and water tanks to recharge groundwater. Only when the groundwater level rises will we have a sustainable source of water,” Nimal tells DT Next.

Rainwater harvesting is also a priority for this climate activist. “Though people are aware of rainwater harvesting, its implementation is not always efficient. It should be incorporated into building plans and implemented in all structures, including massive buildings, government offices, and educational institutions. Rainwater harvesting at the household level can save a significant amount of water and have a positive impact on the environment,” Nimal concludes.

So far, Nimal has successfully restored 142 waterbodies, benefiting over 50 lakh (5 million) people in 3,200-plus villages, with farmers and fishermen being the major beneficiaries. He has also launched extensive afforestation activities across India, resulting in the planting of 16 lakhs (1.6 million) saplings. Nimal has crowdfunded significantly on Milaap to execute his restoration efforts.