07-06-2025
Amazon to restore 400M litres of water yearly to Yamuna watershed near Delhi
New Delhi: Corporate giant Amazon has initiated a water replenishment project for the Yamuna River watershed near Delhi, which aims to restore over 400 million litres of water annually. Announced during Amazon's Water Dialogues 2025 event in New Delhi on Thursday, the project aims to address the 'region's critical groundwater decline exacerbated by urban sprawl and over-extraction.'
The initiative, implemented in partnership with ecosystem restoration firm Hasten Regeneration, will feature a groundwater recharge programme. It combines the rehabilitation of existing water infrastructure, including check dams and ponds, besides working towards the construction of new water-saving structures such as percolation pits and recharge shafts. Additionally, Amazon will be planting vegetation around these structures to prevent erosion, increase the moisture in soil, and improve local landscapes. Rehabilitation sites will be selected within the Yamuna River watershed.
Hasten will collaborate with 2023 National Water award winner Arpan Seva Sansthan and Bengaluru-based water consultancy Clear Water Dynamics, selecting strategic sites within the Yamuna basin.
Abhinav Singh, vice president of operations, Amazon India & Australia said that the initiative 'represents a significant step toward our goal to replenish more water than we use in India by 2027.'
Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Sasmit Patra who was the keynote speaker at the event said,'The inaugural Water Dialogues... marks an important step in advancing collaboration around India's pressing water challenges... We welcome this effort to encourage greater private sector engagement.'
The Water Dialogues event convened policymakers, including Niti Aayog's Yugal Joshi, water conservationist Anand Malligawad, and other stakeholders to discuss water sustainability solutions.
