September 6, 2024: Once known as the Garden City, Bengaluru now faces the harsh realities of India’s climate crisis, dealing with severe groundwater depletion, erratic rainfall, and a shrinking green cover. In response to these growing challenges, Mphasis, through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts, has partnered with United Way Bengaluru to drive an impactful campaign called “One Billion Drops”.
Mphasis and United Way Bengaluru officially announced the launch of the “One Billion Drops” campaign with the construction of 590 percolation wells across five police campuses in Bengaluru, including CAR (City Armed Reserve) North, Karnataka State Reserved Police 9th Battalion, Centre for Counter-Terrorism, CAR Headquarters, and KSRP 1st Battalion. The event was attended by the Commissioner of Police, Bangalore City, Mr. B Dayananda, who commended the initiative for its significant contribution to Bengaluru’s water sustainability.
The “One Billion Drops” initiative addresses climate-change-related issues through percolation wells designed to capture rainwater at the point of impact. This approach reduces surface runoff, prevents floods, and conserves water by slowing its flow. The campaign is pivotal in restoring Bengaluru’s water resources, replenishing groundwater, and maintaining soil moisture to support the city’s green cover.
“I wholeheartedly appreciate the proactive support of Mphasis and United Way of Bengaluru for coming forward to make our police campuses water-neutral through their CSR initiatives. Your commitment to sustainability is a shining example of community policing in action. Together, we are not only ensuring a greener future for our personnel and the community but also setting a benchmark for responsible governance. Thank you for your invaluable partnership in this noble endeavour,” said B. Dayananda, Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru City.
“Our ongoing partnership with United Way Bengaluru has empowered us to address global environmental challenges like climate change while making significant strides in reviving the state’s biodiversity. The ‘One Billion Drops’ campaign remains a powerful initiative in rainwater conservation and sustainability, demonstrating our commitment to a greener future,” said Deepa Nagaraj, Senior Vice President and Head, ESG & CSR, Sparkle Innovation Ecosystem and Communications
“Rooted in a community-driven approach, the ‘One Billion Drops’ campaign represents a scalable and replicable model that promotes ecological sustainability and resilience against climate change. By harnessing the power of collaboration between corporate entities, NGOs and government bodies, this initiative is setting a new standard for climate action and water conservation,” said Rajesh Krishnan, CEO of United Way Bengaluru.
This initiative aligns seamlessly with the Prime Minister’s National Water Mission initiative, “Catch the Rain, Where it Falls, When it Falls.” Each percolation well can conserve up to 128,000 litres of rainwater annually, directly enhancing groundwater levels in their respective catchment areas.
Since 2022, Mphasis has supported the creation of 1,338 percolation wells across Bengaluru, including in major parks and the iconic Lalbagh Botanical Garden. These percolation wells can conserve approximately 175,284 kilos of rainwater annually, making a significant contribution to the city’s water resources and environmental health. These wells have benefitted 251,000 members of the community. In the coming years, the goal is to reach out to approximately 225,000 beneficiaries by creating 1200 wells by 2026.