Kashyone Women Receive National Recognition for Community-Led Water Conservation Initiative

Amitava Banerjee, MP, June 22, 2026, Darjeeling: In the remote hills of Kalimpong in West Bengal, where drying springs once forced women to walk long distances in search of water, a quiet revolution led by village women has now earned national recognition.

The Kashyone Multipurpose Women Cooperative Society Ltd., Kalimpong, was recently honoured at the Water Innovation Hackathon 2026 in New Delhi for its pioneering community-led springshed management initiative.

The award, carrying a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh, was presented by Dr Raj Bhushan, Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Government of India, at an event organised by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

For the women of Kashyone, the recognition marks the culmination of years of collective effort to revive dying springs and secure water for their village.

Springs are the lifeline of Himalayan communities. However, climate change, changing land-use patterns and human activities have caused many natural water sources in the hills to dry up.

In Namchelekha village, women often had to walk considerable distances each day to fetch water as local springs dwindled.

Supported by PRASARI, more than 120 women of Kashyone Sangha have undertaken scientific springshed management over the past five years.

The initiative included hydrogeological assessments, construction of recharge structures and large-scale plantation drives.

PRASARI, a grassroots organisation, initiated the movement in December 2023.

Partnering with women’s institutions across seven gram panchayats in Kalimpong, more than 20,000 native trees were planted, helping revive 19 springs and ensuring reliable water availability for nearly 80 households.

The village, once affected by acute water scarcity, has now emerged as a water-surplus area.

The community-led model was presented at the national platform by Raj Kumar Das, Team Leader of PRASARI, along with members of the women’s group.

The initiative drew appreciation from Union government officials and water management experts.

“This is a collective achievement. The women’s group, PRASARI, the administration and different departments worked together to make the village water-secure,” said Das.

The cooperative now plans to use the prize money to establish a model water distribution and filtration system to provide doorstep water supply.

“The success of Kashyone highlights the growing role of women in climate-resilient water management and offers a model for spring revival in the Himalayan region, proving that local communities can provide sustainable solutions to global environmental challenges,” Das told Millennium Post.

Courtesy & source- Millennium Post