Kutch, Sept. 2 -- In the arid landscapes of Gujarat's Kutch region, where water scarcity has long been a persistent challenge, a grassroots movement is making waves, quite literally.

The Jal Mandir Abhiyan, spearheaded by the Kutch Fodder Fruit & Forest Development Trust, is a community-led water conservation campaign that has already resulted in the construction of nearly 390 ponds since its inception in 2012.

Driven by local participation, the initiative has brought together villagers, NGOs, donors, and even schoolchildren to build vital water resources across the region.

From providing machinery like JCBs to volunteering tractors and manpower, residents themselves have become the backbone of the movement.

"When we started this prog...