Yamunanagar: Saraswati Sugar Mills Ltd (SSM) has made a major contribution to water conservation by recharging 60 lakh cubic metres of rainwater and floodwater into underground reserves, setting a new standard for the sugar industry in North India, reports The Tribune.
The effort gained significance after severe floods hit the Yamunanagar region in the first half of July 2023. The floods affected nearly 343 villages and damaged crops such as paddy and sugarcane across about 80,000 acres. In response, the company put forward a long-term and practical solution aimed at reducing flood impact while addressing the problem of falling groundwater levels.
As part of its corporate social responsibility programme, SSM chose water conservation as its main focus. The company said the initiative has helped store excess rain and floodwater underground, reducing waterlogging and strengthening groundwater supplies in the region.
SSM Chief Executive SK Sachdeva said the project was launched in 2019–20 when the company decided to centre its social work on one issue with long-term benefits. He said the programme was built around the idea that water is essential for life and was designed to go beyond traditional rainwater collection methods.
Sachdeva said that while basic rainwater harvesting systems were installed on public buildings and schools, the company took a different approach in low-lying and flood-prone areas. In these locations, large-capacity recharge borewells were built to divert excess monsoon and floodwater directly into underground layers, helping prevent flooding while restoring groundwater levels.
He said a total of 213 rainwater harvesting and recharge systems have been set up across Yamunanagar district and nearby areas, covering both rural and urban locations.
Senior Vice-President (Administration) DP Singh said the programme began on a small scale in Arnoli village, where three units were installed in 2019–20. Since then, it has expanded to several villages, including Landhora with 19 units, Bhambholi and Balachaur with 18 each, Sudail with 15, Dharamkot with 13, and Nagla Jagir with 10 units.
Singh added that the project also includes schools, religious places, and healthcare facilities. He said the water conservation work carried out by the mill is among the most effective efforts in the state’s sugar sector and aims to ensure reliable water availability for future generations.
