Shillong: The Meghalaya government’s climate action initiative, the ‘Mawrah Multipurpose Reservoir Project’, has been recognized with the prestigious ‘4th National Water Sustainability Award 2024-25′.
The award, presented by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS), and the Department of Water Resources, highlights the project’s excellence in participatory water management through community engagement.
The project was implemented by the Soil & Water Conservation Department in conjunction with the Mawrah Village Dorbar of East Khasi Hills district.
The ‘Mawrah Multipurpose Reservoir Project bagged the award in the category of “Excellence in Participatory Water Management for Enhancing Water Management through Community Participation” at a function held recently at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi.
This is the first time the Soil & Water Conservation Department’s initiative has received this award, specifically for a community-driven water resources management project.
It recognizes the Meghalaya government’s dedication to climate action through community involvement.
The award jury, comprising experts from UNDP, the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Niti Ayog, and TERI, commended the “Mawrah model” for its successful government-community collaboration, which has significantly improved livelihoods and contributed to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG-6), focusing on water sustainability and reducing water footprints.
The Water Sustainability Awards aims to encourage the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG -6) on water by way of reducing water footprint among various stakeholders through the adoption of the ‘water neutrality’ approach.
The major assessment criteria for this award are the relevance and impact of the project (climate resilient water resources management), uniqueness of the initiative (enhance community participation through the empowerment of local committees), insights and best practices, alignment of the project with global and national targets.
Furthermore, in response to the growing challenges of climate change, the Meghalaya Government, in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), has initiated a $62.5 million climate-adaptive, community-based water harvesting project.
This ambitious project, with $50 million funded by ADB and $12.5 million by the state government, involves the construction of around 532 climate-resilient water harvesting structures across the state.
The project, which commenced implementation following a loan agreement signed in December 2024, will create approximately 415 hectares of pondage area and 12 million cubic meters of water storage through community-led participatory approaches.
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It will also include command and catchment area activities, livelihood improvement programs, institutional strengthening, capacity building, and the implementation of innovative technologies.
