6.5 Water in the Community
7099
6.5 Water in the Community
6.5.1: Water Management Educational Opportunities:
BMU is dedicated to cultivating ethical leaders who possess the skills, knowledge, and life skills essential for guiding their organizations to success. A key aspect of our mission is to raise awareness about human life and foster empathy among our students. This is accomplished through various educational and community outreach initiatives that promote water conservation and mindful water usage.
Curricular Integration: Our undergraduate and postgraduate programs incorporate mandatory, credit-based social-rural immersion activities. These include internships with NGOs focused on environmental conservation, particularly water-related issues. Through these projects, students engage with communities to address water scarcity, promote sustainable practices, and enhance local water management strategies.
Project Sankalp
At the postgraduate level, Project Sankalp is a key component of our curriculum. This Social Enterprise for Community Development initiative, in collaboration with Mrida Group, guides students in developing and implementing sustainable water solutions in underdeveloped villages. Students work on projects that address water availability, hygiene, and sanitation, aiming to create measurable improvements in these areas over two years. They also seek CSR funding to support these projects.
Community Engagement: Our extension activities include partnerships with national foundations and participation in initiatives such as the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan coordinated by IIT Delhi. These collaborations focus on addressing water conservation challenges in local communities.
Student Clubs and Volunteer Units: BMU’s student clubs, including the SAVERA Club and NSS and YRC units, actively engage in water conservation efforts. Activities include organizing awareness campaigns, conducting clean-up drives, and implementing water-saving practices in nearby villages. For instance, the SAVERA Club has led literacy campaigns emphasising water conservation’s importance, while the NSS and YRC units participate in national programs like “Swachh Bharat Abhiyan” which includes water conservation as a key focus area.
Collaborative Projects: The university, in partnership with the Raman Kant Munjal Foundation (RKMF), engages in projects that promote water conservation, environmental protection, and community development. Initiatives such as Hamari Asha and Asha Tutorial include components focused on educating communities about sustainable water practices and improving access to clean water.
6.5.2. Off-campus Water Conservation Support
The University has a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with GuruJal -An initiative by Abhipsa Foundation towards Water Management. GuruJal’s vision is to encourage social responsibility, sustainable development, lifestyle, and consumerism, protection of the environment, and inspiring and implementing solutions to the environmental crisis that Gurugram is facing. Our values distinguish us and guide our actions. The MoU offers extensive support for water conservation efforts, benefiting both institutions.
Faculty and students from BML Munjal University gain valuable experience in water quality monitoring, treatment, and conservation through hands-on internships and training programs. This includes specialized training in GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and IoT (Internet of Things) technologies for water conservation and quality testing.
Participants also benefit from discounted access to workshops jointly organized by GuruJal and BML Munjal University. Technical support related to water quality testing and GIS is available for students involved in collaborative projects.
GuruJal’s team accesses BML Munjal University’s research facilities, and both institutions collaborate on technology upgradation programs and the supervision of water conservation projects. BML Munjal University provides exclusive training in IoT and GIS to GuruJal personnel. GuruJal supports the submission of project proposals to various funding bodies and assists with placement opportunities for BML Munjal University students in water conservation fields. Joint research and development projects related to water conservation are explored, with proposals submitted to funding agencies.
GuruJal also contributes guest lectures and shares best practices and research with BML Munjal University, fostering mutual collaboration and enhancing water conservation efforts.
6.5.3. Sustainable Water Extraction on-campus:
Our commitment to sustainable water management on campus is exemplified by our groundwater extraction practices. We operate two borewells designed to efficiently and responsibly meet our water needs while minimizing environmental impact. Details of the extracted water measurements are provided in our Green Audit Report.
Borewell 1: This borewell has a total extraction capacity of 7,099 kilolitres (KL). It serves various campus facilities and contributes to our efforts in maintaining a consistent and reliable water supply for essential uses.
Borewell 2: This borewell has a significantly larger extraction capacity, totalling 31,285 KL. It supports a broader range of activities and infrastructure, ensuring that our campus can handle higher demands while adhering to our sustainability goals.
Green Audit Report (Refer to pg. no. 25 – 39)
6.5.4. Cooperation on Water Security:
In 2022, our team spearheaded a comprehensive initiative focused on enhancing sanitation and water security in the adopted Gram Panchayat of Umrain, Alwar (Raj.). This project aimed to foster positive behavioural changes and improve environmental conditions within the village.
Activities and Programs:
- Swachhata Promotion Campaigns:
We organized a series of swachhata awareness campaigns designed to educate and engage villagers about the importance of sanitation. Door-to-door visits were conducted to personally address concerns and spread awareness about maintaining cleanliness.
- Educational and Community Engagement Events:
o School-Level Initiatives: We facilitated movie screenings and painting competitions in local schools to educate children on the importance of sanitation and inspire them to take active roles in their community’s cleanliness.
o Solid Waste Management: Hands-on activities included street and drain cleaning, solid waste collection drives, compost pit digging, and waste segregation exercises.
- Community Pledge and Behavioral Change:
o Following our interventions, a significant milestone was achieved as villagers committed to not disposing of garbage in the open and pledged to maintain a cleaner environment. This shift in behaviour contributed to a notable reduction in open defecation cases within the village.
6.5.5 Promoting Water-Conscious Usage on campus :
On 29th March 2022, the School of Engineering and Technology (SoET) at BML Munjal University hosted a group of 44 students from Raman Munjal School and 2 from DPS Rewari, accompanied by teachers. The visit was part of a Scientific Social Responsibility (SSR) initiative under a SERB-funded project focusing on dye-contaminated water remediation. The students toured the CAMD lab, interacted with faculty and research scholars, and participated in a poster/presentation session explaining ongoing research.
The visit featured a structured plan, dividing students into two batches for lab visits and theme-based drawing sessions. Volunteers and staff ensured smooth coordination and safety throughout the event. The activities concluded with snacks, a group photograph, and prize distribution for drawing competitions judged by Dean Prof. Anirban Chakraborti.
The event provided insights into advanced research, fostered awareness of wastewater remediation, and showcased the university’s high-end facilities. It also facilitated one-on-one interactions between students and researchers, contributing to BMU's branding efforts. Expenses incurred amounted to ₹10,000, and the event was successfully executed with active participation from faculty, staff, and volunteers.
1.Event_Programme Report-BMU.docx
6.5.6. Promoting Water Conscious Usage in the Wider Community:
Addressing Garbage Management Issues:
- Panchayat Meeting Discussions:
o We addressed the issues of overflowing garbage bins and inadequate monitoring of waste disposal during a Gram Panchayat meeting. Our suggestions for improvements were well-received and appreciated by the Panchayat officials.
- Innovative Solution:
o To tackle the problem of garbage bin management, we utilized our engineering expertise to develop a Smart Garbage Bin prototype. This innovative bin is equipped with technology that automatically sends status updates about its fill level to a mobile device.
o The prototype received commendations from the Sarpanch and Block Development Officer (BDO). We subsequently presented the smart bin to the entire Panchayat Samiti Umrein, showcasing its potential to significantly improve waste management efficiency in the area.
Our efforts in Gram Panchayat Umrain not only promoted better sanitation practices but also introduced technological solutions to enhance waste management. The positive response from the community and local officials reflects the success of our initiative and its potential for broader application in similar settings.