Medak, Oct.16 : Anandana-The Coca-Cola India Foundation and S M Sehgal Foundation won prestigious national recognition at the 20th CII National Awards for Excellence in Water Management 2026 under the ‘Beyond the Fence’ category. The award honours their collaborative community-led water conservation initiatives implemented across Medak district in Telangana.
Under the ‘Sustainable Access to Safe Water’ project executed from January 2024 to March 2025, the two foundations rejuvenated 15 traditional water tanks across seven villages in Shivampet mandal. The restoration created a water storage and groundwater recharge capacity of nearly 205 million liters. Through desilting and bund strengthening, the project enhanced water security for over 15,000 residents and secured irrigation for 1,535 acres of agricultural land.
The initiative involved removing approximately 2.04 lakh cubic meters of silt—equivalent to roughly 82 Olympic-sized swimming pools. The nutrient-rich silt was distributed to 150 individual farmers and three community groups to enrich soil fertility. Project leaders highlighted that forming local ‘Tank User Groups’ and planting 500 saplings ensured sustainable, community-driven resource management in water-stressed rural belts.
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