River rejuvenation programme
Water scarcity, exacerbated by agricultural demands, urbanization and climate change, poses a significant threat. ITC’s River Basin Revival Rejuvenation programme employs hydrogeological studies to map water balance and identify recharge zones. Interventions include rainwater harvesting, aquifer recharge and promoting efficient agricultural water use, leveraging expertise from organizations like WWF India and IISc Bangalore.
The company has expanded its programme to cover 21 lakh acres across five states, focuses on enhancing water availability and improving water use efficiency. In Maharashtra, ITC is collaborating with the Water Resources Department to improve efficiency across 60 irrigation projects in the Godavari, Krishna, and Tapi basins. In Karnataka, a partnership with the Department of Rural Development & Panchayat Raj and VVKI targets groundwater recharge in the South Pennar River basin, benefiting areas around Bengaluru.
ITC’s comprehensive water stewardship approach, encompassing development and demand-side efficiency, has created a potential water storage capacity of 58.81 million KL and achieved significant crop water savings. The company’s commitment to sustainable water management is further evidenced by nine of its units receiving platinum certification under the global Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) standard.
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