Passionate about Paani: Aamir Khan continues his rainwater harvesting work zealously

When Aamir Khan takes on anything, rest assured he will give it his 100 per cent. His work in the drought-hit talukas of Maharashtra has now taken on gargantuan proportions. Slowly but surely, the actor-filmmaker has solidified his own efforts and those of like-minded people to bring a sea change in the area of rainwater harvesting. Over to him... 

Your initiative Paani Foundation seems to have caught on in the short time since you started it.

Most of Paani’s work happens in the villages during these two months of April and May. It’s been like this over the last three years. In 2016, we started with three talukas; 116 villages. Then in 2017, we had grown to 30 talukas; 1,300 villages. This is the third year, and we’ve reached 75 talukas; about 4,030-odd villages. That’s the kind of progress this initiative has witnessed. Maharashtra has 358 talukas, and we are working with 75 of them. What is noteworthy is that we are working with every village in every taluka.

It has to be demand-driven, the village has to solve the problem. We conduct a five-day training session on how to do watershed management work. After that, the villagers do all the work by themselves; they chalk out how to do it and execute their plans. Whenever they need any advice or help, our experts are there. This has become a big social movement. On an average, over a lakh of people are working every day on their own. Shramdaan is voluntary work.

Are you happy with the progress?

I’m very happy. Firstly, villages are getting sufficient water and secondly, now the people have more self-belief. Water is the biggest problem. Once they understand this issue can be solved, they will realise they can do anything. We must also remember that around 150 talukas come under Tushkar area; i.e. the drought area. Today, we have 75 talukas and hopefully, we will be able to cover the drought-prone parts, too. The Konkan belt gets good rainfall. However, the region also has steep slopes. So, a lot of rainwater gets wasted along with topsoil.

So, you’re like the Bill Gates of Paani foundation, if one were to draw parallels between his and Melinda Gates’ work for AIDS and now TB (Tuberculosis). You identify something and work for it.

Bill Gates! No, no, yaar... During the first two years, people would often ask me how could they help the cause. Now, we’ve found a solution. They can join our initiative as JalMitra and donate money to the villages, help with the machine work and volunteer. On May 1, we’re organising Maha Shramdaan, wherein we’re inviting people from cities to travel to these villages and work for three hours.

Where will you be on that day?

I’m not sure which village I will be in on that day. If you join as JalMitra, you have the option of choosing from 75 talukas. Based on that, you get the options of villages. When you reach the chosen village, you will be told what you have to do. There will be a pit marked out, or loose boulders to be kept. Whatever the 16 structures of watershed management are, you will be allotted one and will have to work for three hours. 

This is a great opportunity for people to get involved. The last day for enrolling as JalMitra is April 25, midnight. Over a lakh of people have signed up for it.

Recently, even Akshay Kumar participated in a water-saving initiative in a village.

I believe he is shooting somewhere in Satara and the village where he is doing Shramdaan is participating in our Water Cup. I don’t know if he knows about this... 

You’ve managed to involve a lot of people in your initiative. Last time, even farmers came and the Chief Minister gave away prizes for the Satyamev Jayate Water Cup.

With 75 talukas participating, about 100 villages will win prizes. Shah Rukh (Khan) attended the function last year. As Kiran (Rao) and I had swine flu, we couldn’t make it. I asked him if he could go. Ten thousand farmers were at the event that went on for five hours. Shah Rukh waited till the end and gave a beautiful speech. It was sweet of him.

Do you see the industry also participating in this cause?

Yes. When we started, we had a presentation for our colleagues from the Hindi and Marathi film industries and told them what was being planned. They were encouraging. Today, Marathi film celebrities are actively involved. They call up saying, ‘I have three days free, where can I go and do Shramdaan?’ As for my colleagues in the Hindi film industry, I haven’t tapped them into it yet. When I take a celebrity there, it cannot be a distraction. I can’t let work stop.

If they come, are you looking at physical participation from their end?

When you go to a village and work with 300-400 people collectively and participate in contributing something specific to their solution, it feels great. Seeing the CCT (Continuous Contour Trench, which is used to treat barren undulated land) collect over 20,000 cubic litres of water makes you happy that you have done something.