New Delhi, May 25, 2026: SayTrees Environmental Trust has intensified its water conservation initiatives across India as rising temperatures and growing water scarcity continue to impact urban and rural regions across the country.
The organisation said it has restored more than 50 lakes and water bodies and revitalised over 30 traditional water wells across different states, creating more than 5 billion litres of water storage capacity. The restoration efforts are aimed at improving groundwater recharge, strengthening climate resilience, and reducing risks such as urban flooding.
As part of its long-term environmental goals, SayTrees has announced plans to restore 50 billion litres of water-holding capacity by 2030 and revive 300 lakes across India by 2035.
The organisation has undertaken restoration projects in several states, including Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu. In Bengaluru, where rapid urbanisation has affected natural water systems, SayTrees has restored over 10 lakes, including Choodasandra Lake and Handenhalli Lake, along with several open wells.
In Maharashtra, restoration work is underway in rural and peri-urban regions such as Satara and Aurangabad to improve water availability for agriculture and local ecosystems. In drought-prone Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh, the organisation is implementing water conservation and agroforestry programmes to improve soil moisture and support farmers facing climate-related challenges.
The restoration work includes desilting, strengthening bunds, improving inlet and outlet channels, and ecological rejuvenation of water bodies. The projects are being implemented in partnership with local communities, government agencies, and corporate partners to ensure long-term sustainability.
Kapil Sharma, Founder & Trustee, SayTrees said, “It is a reminder every summer of our dependence on water systems that we tend to take for granted. Restoration of these water systems, such as lakes and wells, is not an exercise in environmental conservation alone but is rather a means of ensuring a water supply for years to come.”
Lt Cdr Deokant Payasi (Retd.), Founder, Trustee & CEO, SayTrees added, “The problems India faces with water necessitate well-defined, scalable approaches to solve them. We have been working to rejuvenate existing water sources, which is helping us recharge groundwater levels and reduce the strain of water scarcity on a local level. These are approaches that can be adopted throughout the country.”
The organisation said community participation remains central to maintaining restored water sources and ensuring long-term environmental impact.
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