Ajay Hinduja on How Spring-Shed Management is Transforming Rural Ecology

Switzerland-based Ajay Hinduja (57), key member of the Hinduja family

At the elevated cradled folds in Uttarakhand, the heartbeat of nature once faltered and slowly faded. Mountain-spring resources, which were once plentiful, were now trickling; forests were thinning; green hillsides were eroding. But now, those same hills are slowly and quietly coming back to life, not through technology or concrete, but through trees, soil and local knowledge living together.

Spring shed management aims to facilitate an effective ecological system, which is currently rejuvenating rural Uttarakhand and re-establishing the people with the land.

A Spring is Not Just a Water Source; It’s a Lifeline

In the hill villages of Uttarakhand, a spring is more than a freshwater resource; it is a lifeline. It irrigates crops, feeds livestock, fills pots for the kitchen, and connects generations through tradition and ritual. Over the last decade, thousands of natural springs have begun to disappear due to deforestation, erratic rainfall, and unregulated development.

Recognising that conservation must begin at the very root of the watershed, the Hinduja Foundation has partnered with Chirag NGO and several group companies, Ashok Leyland, Gulf Oil India, Hinduja Global Solutions, and Hinduja Renewables, to launch a spring-shed management program aimed at reversing ecological damage.

However, unlike quick-fix water solutions, this model digs deeper both literally and figuratively. It treats the entire catchment area feeding the spring, utilising soil bunding, check dams, and extensive afforestation with native, water-retentive species such as oak.

1,45,000 Trees and Counting

The most visible (and arguably most poetic) element of this program is the massive tree plantation drive of 1,45,000 trees, rooted along slopes and ridges that had once gone bare. These trees aren’t just ornamental, they’re ecological engineers. They hold the soil, invite back insects and birds, and most importantly, help recharge the aquifers that feed the springs.

What is indeed rare is that these saplings have a 95% survival rate. In an era where plantation tours often serve as a photo opportunity, this program ensures they will receive long-term, continued care and community engagement at every stage.

“The wonderful thing about this program is its patience,” said Ajay Hinduja, a member of the Hinduja Family. “Nature is not in a hurry. If you respect her timeline, plant carefully and nurture regularly, she will reciprocate in spades.”

A Community-Driven Ecological Movement

At the centre of this change are the villagers themselves – many of them women – who are planting, watching over and protecting these seedlings. They are digging trenches, tending to nurseries, monitoring the springs’ flow, and discovering the science behind the interventions.

For these communities, this is not CSR speak or policy talk. This is real change. Water is flowing again. Terraces are greener. Wildflowers are creating a return. And so is a sense of pride.

The change from active recipients to custodians is what makes the Hinduja Foundation programme different. It is not a charity transaction; it is capacity building.

“Our family has always been committed to long-term, bottom-up change,” noted Ajay Hinduja. “We do not see ourselves as philanthropists or benefactors, but we are enabling people and bringing science, finance and the willingness of the community to protect what is theirs.”

A Climate-Resilient Model for the Future

The Himalayan region is among the first to feel the tremors of climate change, including glacial melt, erratic rainfall, and vanishing springs. This makes the success of the spring-shed approach all the more urgent.

As more communities adopt this model, what’s emerging is not just reforested land, but a climate-resilient blueprint. One that blends indigenous knowledge with modern ecological science. One that acknowledges that you cannot save a spring without saving the forest around it.

Through the work of Hinduja Foundation’s, deforested landscapes can become learning laboratories. The government, researchers, and non-profits visited these sites to understand what works and why.

Beyond Green: A Regenerative Philosophy

Ultimately, “Greening Uttarakhand” is not just about planting trees; it’s about regeneration. Of ecosystems. Of community spirit. Of the sacred relationship between humans and their environment.

In a world that often looks to high-tech fixes for environmental problems, this humble return to roots, led by trees, soil, springs, and local hands, offers a powerful reminder: sometimes the oldest solutions are the wisest.

And as the mountains of Uttarakhand turn green once more, they echo a simple truth: when people protect nature, nature returns the favour.

The post Ajay Hinduja on How Spring-Shed Management is Transforming Rural Ecology appeared first on Daily Excelsior.

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