NewsVoir
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], February 20: From city skylines to rural horizons, India's waters are in distress - overwhelmed by sewage, choked by weeds and abandoned to years of neglect. Across cities, semi-urban settlements and rural landscapes, water bodies that once sustained communities are now struggling to breathe.
Against this backdrop, a decisive step was taken on 18 February 2026. An MoU was signed between Br Pragyachaitanya, Chairman of The Art of Living Social Projects, and Ms. Santhoshi Sushma Buddhiraju, CEO of Autocracy Machinery. The agreement sets in motion a nationwide effort to restore and rejuvenate lakes, ponds, rivulets and streams across India.
Responding to a Growing Need
The Art of Living Social Projects has received an overwhelming number of requests for lake and pond rejuvenation from across the country. In many inhabited areas - from expanding cities to small towns and villages - untreated sewage continues to flow into local water bodies. The consequences are stark: water turns dark and foul-smelling, oxygen levels plummet, fish perish, algal blooms spread unchecked, and once-thriving ecosystems slide into slow, suffocating decline.
The new partnership ensures that The Art of Living Social Projects can undertake scientifically designed restoration projects anywhere in India, supported by appropriate funding and technical capacity.
Autocracy Machinery in Action: Innovation on Water, Under Water and On Land
Autocracy Machinery, an emerging Indian start-up, brings specialised equipment designed to operate on water, under water and on land - enabling thorough, end-to-end restoration. From removing invasive weeds and decades of silt to clearing sludge and stabilising lake beds, the machinery tackles the visible damage head-on.
Mechanical cleaning is the critical first step. Years of pollutants and sediment must be cleared before a water body can recover.
Nature-Based Healing: Bio-remediation and Phyto-remediation
Following the physical cleaning process, The Art of Living Social Projects will introduce ecological restoration measures to ensure long-term sustainability.
Bio-remediation involves using beneficial microorganisms to naturally break down sewage, organic waste and harmful pollutants present in the water.
Phyto-remediation uses carefully selected aquatic plants to absorb toxins, heavy metals and excess nutrients, thereby restoring water quality in a natural and environmentally friendly manner.
Advanced Oxygenation through Nano Bubbles
To strengthen natural restoration methods, The Art of Living Social Projects will introduce nano bubble technology - an advanced system for water oxygenation and purification.
These ultra-fine oxygen bubbles, less than 200 nanometres in size, remain suspended in water instead of rising to the surface. Containing over 95% oxygen, they disperse evenly and release oxygen gradually, boosting dissolved oxygen levels, supporting beneficial microbes and accelerating the breakdown of pollutants.
The result is clearer water, healthier aquatic life and stronger ecosystem recovery.
By combining mechanical, biological and technological solutions, this approach shifts restoration from a one-time clean-up into lasting ecological renewal.
Reviving Communities Through Water
India's lakes and ponds are not idle waters; they are living ecosystems, climate buffers and anchors of community life. When a water body comes back to life, the impact reaches far beyond its banks - groundwater recharge improves, biodiversity returns, health risks decline and livelihoods strengthen, as communities reclaim spaces that once shaped their identity. Their restoration is not just an environmental priority, but a social and ecological necessity.
About The Art of Living Social Projects
The Art of Living, a non-profit, educational and humanitarian organisation founded in 1981 by world-renowned spiritual leader and humanitarian Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, is deeply committed to addressing India's pressing water challenges. Through large-scale water conservation initiatives, the organisation works to alleviate water scarcity, restore ecosystems and enhance the quality of life for communities across the country.
To learn more about the initiative or explore CSR partnerships, visit: Best NGO for CSR projects in India
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