From former Google employee saving lakes to an acid attack survivor who inspired Deepika Padukone, the top social stories this week
Whether it is the story of one woman's courage that has inspired millions, including actor Deepika Padukone, or ways to save the environment and conserve natural resources, our social stories this week will give you plenty of feel-good vibes.
This week, we bring you stories of how individuals have taken up certain solutions and methods to deal with the acute water shortage in Chennai. We also spoke to the acid attack survivor who inspired many across India, including Deepika Padukone, with her sheer fearlessness and courage.
This former Google employee is saving existing lakes from dying across India
Tamil Nadu and its capital Chennai are currently reeling under severe water crisis. The situation is so bad that organisations have requested employees to work from home in order to cut down on water usage.
As we speak of the dire issues faced by Chennai, there are some people who are trying to do their bit to save the existing natural resources. One such person is a former Google employee who has restored 39 lakes and 48 ponds across India till date.
Engineer-turned-farmer uses Miyawaki method to grow trees in cities
The Miyawaki method is a concept developed by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki. In this method, only native varieties of trees are selected in ratios over the commercial forestry. These are grown in sequence, which requires no maintenance after a period, and is 100 percent self-sustainable.
Following this method is Shubhendu Sharma, Founder of Afforestt, a Bengaluru-based organisation trying to bring back our lost forests. The team uses the Miyawaki method to build a forest on a small patch of land.
Ways you can conserve water at home
Water is not a resource that can be taken for granted. Year after year, India has been staring at a water crisis characterised by groundwater depletion, contamination of rivers, and mismanagement of drinking water.
As you might only be aware of the rainwater harvesting method, here are a few other ways to save water at your home.
The acid attack survivor that inspired millions
Chhapaak, the much-anticipated Bollywood movie starring Deepika Padukone, may give Laxmi Agarwal and her cause more visibility, but her inspiring crusade has brought hope to acid attack survivors, time and again, for a while now.
The movie is inspired by 28-year-old Laxmi Agarwal, a survivor of a brutal hate crime and acid attack, which has shaped her life’s mission - to help acid attack survivors find jobs, and lead independent and dignified lives.
In a conversation with SocialStory, we unfold the life of Laxmi and the moments that helped her beat the odds.
Tackling water crisis, one lake at a time
If you have been following news and all the latest updates, you would know the dire situation Chennai is going through due to acute water shortage. But the State’s capital isn’t alone, as many rural areas in Tamil Nadu have been facing a similar situation for the past few years.
After witnessing the situation, 36-year-old Saravanan Thiyagarajan decided to take up matter into his hands to conserve water. In 2017, he founded ‘Wake Our Lake’ to rejuvenate lakes. It provides guidelines to conserve water bodies, revive lakes, and the vegetation surrounding it.