Off-campus water conservation support
JGU’s commitment to water does not stop at the campus boundary. We work with neighbouring communities on water conservation initiatives, including artificial recharge pits, workshops and local awareness campaigns. By sharing expertise, tools and resources, we help improve local water security and promote environmental stewardship. Sustainability is most powerful when it reaches beyond boundaries, and JGU is proud to lead by example.
Strengthening Local Groundwater
Our own recharge network shows what is possible. The 67 rainwater recharge pits on campus replenish local aquifers, and they are estimated to offset 23.5% of our water demand over the year. Under our Water Conservation and Waste Water Reuse Policy, we also use abandoned village ponds as artificial recharge pits, which extends the benefit of groundwater restoration to the surrounding area. Groundwater is a shared resource, so the work we do on campus supports the aquifer on which our neighbors also depend.
Research, Teaching and Partnerships
JGU has multiple research centres that support the SDGs, including SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation. Through research, teaching, conferences, community engagement and partnerships, we actively address water conservation and its links with climate change. The Centre for Water, Ocean Governance & Sustainability Law conducts interdisciplinary legal research on water governance and water law reform, to help policymakers and practitioners in India and other developing countries shape effective legal and policy measures. The Centre for Environment, Sustainability & Human Development brings environmental science together with social studies, policy and climate, including water and sanitation. Its researchers also work on groundwater management and irrigation strategies. Our open online course, “Environmental Issues, Policies, and Practice”, includes a module on water and sanitation, and it extends this learning to a wider public audience.
Learning in the Community
The Jindal School of Environment & Sustainability (JSES) conducts field visits and community engagement workshops for B.A. (Hons.) Environment and Sustainable Development students. These programmes center on local community participation, giving students the chance to engage with villages, schools, health centers and slum communities and to understand local challenges related to water, health and hygiene.
Students discuss these issues and explore solutions together with a range of stakeholders, including local government representatives, nominated officials, health professionals and the general public. As part of the curriculum, and in alignment with Sustainable Development Goals 4 and 6, second-year students also organise a Community Engagement Workshop titled “Water, Sanitation, Health and Education: SDGs Learning and Training”.
Through these initiatives, students gain practical experience while contributing to meaningful water conservation efforts in surrounding communities. This ensures that JGU’s impact reaches beyond the campus and fosters responsible environmental stewardship.
