Padma Shri Uma Shankar Pandey, a prominent water conservation advocate from Banda district, Uttar Pradesh, proposed the establishment of a Water University, Water Museum and a Training Centre for water conservation in Chhattisgarh. Speaking on the sidelines of a workshop on ‘Climate Change’ in the State Capital, Pandey emphasised the lack of a dedicated institution globally where water-related matters could be systematically studied. ss Pandey further proposed setting up a training center where students could learn practical methods of water conservation, stressing that water should be conserved locally - by preserving the water of villages in villages, the water of forests in forests, and the water of households in homes.

 

His popular slogan, ‘Khet kar med aur med pe ped’ (Plough the field, build mounds, and plant trees on them), has become well-known in Uttar Pradesh. Pandey’s innovative water conservation model has been successfully implemented in over 470 gram panchayats across Bundelkhand and continues to expand. He remains actively involved in the Bundelkhand region, working to transform water-scarce villages into water-abundant ones. Pandey’s efforts have earned national recognition, including praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Prime Minister, in his Mann Ki Baat campaign, highlighted Pandey’s water model and even wrote a letter to the heads of states, encouraging the adoption of his model for water conservation.