Environmental Issues in India

Mismanagement and overuse of India’s once abundant forests has resulted in desertification, contamination, and soil depletion throughout the sub-continent. This has serious repercussions for the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of Indians that live off the land. In Rajasthan alone, it is approximated that nearly five million tribal people (as of 2004) rely on the collection of forest produce as their only source of income or nourishment. Without continual access to forest products such as fruit, honey, or firewood these communities experience debilitating hunger and are reduced to extreme poverty.
Drought is having severe consequences for the people Rajasthan who’ve endured chronic shortages of water. In 2003, one fifth of the villages in Rajasthan reported they had no access to a reliable water source and approximately half relied on a single source for the entire area. This impacts availability of safe drinking water, the success of the livestock population, and basic food security. Without water, health and agricultural productivity, Rajasthani people are forced to struggle for their survival.
Numerous NGOs in Rajasthan focus on environmental issues as they are extremely pressing concerns for this region. FSD works with NGOs that have been enormously effective in protecting natural resources and minimizing the effects of drought. For example in 2006, an FSD intern, Elizabeth Thys, worked with the Foundation for Ecological Security (FES) to build a Rain Water Harvesting System. This water tank improved the quality and accessibility of drinking water for approximately 150 people in a rural area of Rajasthan.
Other FSD partner organizations frequently conduct research projects on topics such as soil stabilization, organic farming, erosion prevention, and protection and management of forested lands. These organizations search for feasible solutions to environmental problems and then provide the local community with the necessary funding and infrastructure. Aid from environmental organizations has become an invaluable way for the poor to improve the condition of their local environment, directly affecting the quality of their livelihood.