Water pollution has become a big problem in India. Government has been trying to control & restore water bodies. Many NGO’s have also been taking steps and initiatives to clean our rivers and lakes. But the problem still persists.
Realizing the seriousness of the issue, Chennai-based environmentalist Arun Krishnamurthy could not stand to watch garbage being dumped in a nearby pond. After quitting his job at Google, Krishnamurthy launched an eco-movement which has reportedly cleaned 93 freshwater bodies across 14 states in the country.
The 32-year-old points out that leaving a comfortable job at Google was not difficult for him as he has “never been uncertain about anything that he has done in life. He started making efforts to restore water bodies in Chennai. He received support by the local panchayat and later expanded his efforts to other cities as well. Since then, there has been no looking back for the young environment enthusiast.
This initiative formed into the Environmentalist Foundation of India (EFI), a non-profit wildlife conservation and habitat restoration group. Many school students and environmentalist veterans have been inspired by EFI and have joined their initiative with the slogan “Volunteer for India and her Environment with EFI“.
Organizations like The Hinduja Foundation, The Murugappa Group, and Shriram Group have extended their support in the form of funds and volunteers.
Arun‘s lake restoration efforts also won him The Rolex Awards for Enterprise 2012 which supports individuals with innovative projects that improve life on the planet, expand knowledge, propose solutions to major challenges, or preserve the natural and cultural heritage for future generations.
The EFI has positively impacted cities like Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Pune, Hyderabad, Coimbatore, Puducherry, Thiruvananthapuram, Bengaluru, Tirunelveli, and Ahmedabad. Soon EFI is starting full-time operations in Vijayawada, Mysuru, and Kanyakumari.
