Project Summary: Describe your contribution in one sentence

Waatavaran works hyper-locally to slow down climate change and its impact on vulnerable communities

What are the additional countries or territories of impact?

NA

Challenge Focus: What topic does your project most directly relate to?

Website URL(s) or social media handles

Website - https://waatavaran.in/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/69762668/admin/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/waatavaran Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/waatavaran/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Waatavaran/

The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve?

Air pollution is affecting human health, environment and economy. It is something that cannot be seen through the naked eye unlike water pollution. According to the Air Quality Index Report, 2020, the average lifespan of a Maharashtrian is reduced to 3.1 years. Data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) shows that 7 million people die every year due to exposure to air pollution. An Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) report published in Lancet Planetary Health states that 1.39 lakh people lost their lives in Maharashtra in 2019 because of air pollution. This accounts for 16.7 percent of the overall deaths in India caused by air pollution.

The exposure to fine particles in polluted air leads to diseases such as lung cancer, chronic pulmonary diseases and respiratory infections, and heart disease. As per the Tom Tom Traffic Index 2020, Mumbai was ranked second-most congested city in the world. Traffic congestion remains a major contributor to air pollution along with combinations of factors such as industrial sources, construction activities, open burning, and crop burning. This has significant implications on the environment as well as health, especially on the sensitive groups within the population like senior citizens and children.

Your connection and commitment: How close are you to the problem and/or the community impacted?

In 2019 we set forth on a journey to establish the debate and discussion around the issue of air pollution, its health impacts and possible solutions towards breathable air across non-attainment cities of Maharashtra. Through our RCP (Research-Campaign-Policy) approach we were able to establish an ecosystem of like-minded individuals and organisations who are committed to fighting air inequalities within their communities in 7 cities across Maharashtra, 6 of which are identified as non-attainment cities under the government’s National Clean Air Programme.

As part of an action-led research project in December 2020, we deployed five low-cost air quality sensors in Panvel. One of the key findings of this report was that residents were breathing in polluted air for 17 hours every day. This was followed by an awareness campaign using ‘The Billboard That Breathes’, a public engagement tool in January 2021. These faux lungs turned black within 10 days of their installation depicting the impacts of air pollution levels on human lungs. These two activities had a significant impact on our work. Along with the community, we also engaged, connected, and mobilised representatives of government (corporators, MLAs, mayors, and MPCB regional officers).

We would like to replicate this in all non-attainment cities in Maharashtra. However, as we move from one city to the next, adding more stakeholders, we have sensed a need to identify individuals from within this ecosystem whose competencies and skills can be developed in order to amplify our efforts and sustain the clean air movement

Your approach: How are you enabling other people to identify as green changemakers? How are you influencing them to get involved in your initiative or care about the issue you are addressing?

We have set up a network of low-cost air quality sensors across 5 cities in Maharashtra, where we looked at developing an ecosystem of stakeholders. The availability of real-time air quality data from various locations across the city, ensured that citizens are better informed and served as a premise for their increased participation & involvement in decisions that affect them. These include Ulhasnagar, Chandrapur, Aurangabad, Latur, Amravati/Jalgaon and Solapur.

Community involvement: How is your approach involving community participation, especially the historically marginalized groups?

The approach of the Waatavaran Mitr Fellowship program aims at educating the fellows. The fellows will then be creating awareness among the communities. They will take a lead and take together the community to take affirmative efforts to curb the issues of air pollution. The fellows will be intensively trained regarding air quality and will be provided with technical knowledge and support to monitor the air quality using low cost Air Quality Monitors. The community members will also be equipped with this knowledge which will enable them to voice our their concerns if they see that the air quality is deteriorating in their community.

2 Prominent stories:

In Aurangabad it has led to formation of a group called ‘Havi Shudh Hava (We Need Clean Air)’ which was an intervention by the fellows from the city. It is a whatsapp group that has been created for the people of Aurangabad, Chandrapur and Latur city. The members are from the communities who are willing to take actions for having clean air in the city. 

In Latur, the initiative led to proactive participation of government authorities and public representatives regarding the issue of air quality for the first time ever. The collector and mayor of the city extended their full support and also initiated the installation of real time air quality display monitors at traffic intersections thus making the data available for all citizens

Your Innovation: What is different about your initiative compared to other solutions already out there? How is your approach original and innovative? We are particularly interested in solutions that use regenerative approaches.

The innovation of the Waatavaran Mitr Fellowship Program is in a three way approach consisting of a research oriented outlook, knowledge transfer through capacity building and onground solution based intervention utilising the skills of local volunteers. Each city will have two fellows - both will play a complementary and supportive role for each other. One will be focused mainly on research and data gathering, while the other will undertake efforts for community engagement and policy advocacy. This will ensure that the data gathered will be fruitfully utilised for action based engagement with the proper stakeholders leading to impactful outcomes.

Founding Story: Share a story about the "Aha!" moment that led the founder(s) to get started or the story of how you saw the potential for this to succeed.

I and my family are suffering from the problem of poor air quality as I am the resident of Kharghar in Navi Mumbai, which is near to Taloja MIDC. We have been facing health issues since more than a decade. Me and my partner, constantly think of shifting to a newer place or atleast plan to visit our village once in a year for one month, in order to get clean air. My children also face health problems, coughing. There are times where we cannot open the windows of our houses after 7 pm, as the industries emit smoke/gases at night. Even during the day time, there is construction and demolition dusts, road dusts etc.

So this was a major reason where the thought of working on environment, especially on the clean air front, touched me, real quick!

At the same time, I am a development professional since 20+ years. I have worked with organisations and in this sector on the issues of environment, water conservation etc. These skills were to be put into use of creating own structure which will address the issues of climate change.

Impact: How has your project made a difference so far? How is it contributing to a zero-carbon world- where every person thrives, and nobody gets left behind?

Project acted as a catalyst for different initiatives in 5 cities of Maharashtra. There has been active involvement of various stakeholders ranging from local governments,civil society organisations & most importantly local citizens including children. We installed 20 air quality monitors in these cities with 10 fellows placed (2 in each city). 

Around 3,70,807 citizens were made aware of the air quality issues and the monitors to track the air quality. We engaged with 11 schools & communities therein where we reached out to around 1000+ individuals and interacted with them and gave them a space to voice out their opinions on this topic. Through policy advocacy,we were engaged with the State Pollution Control Board. We involved around 77 government officials to speak on this issue through convenings, in-person meetings, through video engagements. We created Clean Air Action Hubs in each of these cities, wherein people engaged actively, they continuously raise concerns related to air quality, they open petitions for the society to voice out issues related to air. A total of 11 local social organizations, NGOs were involved in this process to strengthen their capacities on this topic as well as to engage them on a common platform for collective efforts. Through print media, social media, radio interviews, we have reached out to > 3 lakh individuals as per the reader algorithm.

What’s Next: What are your ideas for taking your project to the next level?

We would like to replicate this in all non-attainment cities in the remaining non-attainment cities of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka states. However, as we move from one state or city to the next, adding more stakeholders, we have sensed a need to identify individuals from within this ecosystem whose competencies and skills can be developed in order to amplify our efforts and sustain the clean air movement. 

The objective of this will be - a) To create a community of change-makers in the non-attainment cities who will drive equitable solutions to fight air inequality across the remaining non-attainment cities of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka states; b) To build capacities within communities to map the air quality landscape, track the implementation of the city clean air action plan in order to amplify our efforts to sustain the clean air movement.

Your team: What is the current composition of your team (types of roles, qualifications, full-time vs. part-time, board members, etc.), and how do you plan to evolve the team’s composition as the project grows?

• Mr. Bhagwan Kesbhat (Founder and CEO)
• Ms. Sayali Rane (Partnerships and Communications Manager)
• Mr. Rahul Sawant (Campaigner)

Clean Air Team

• Ms. Shruti Panchal (Program Manager) - B.Sc. in Life Sciences from Ramnarain Ruia College and M.Sc. in Environmental Science from The Institute of Science, Mumbai. Qualified UGC NET- Asst. Prof. in 2020. Worked for 2 years as Project Assistant in the State Knowledge Management Center on Climate Change, Environment & CC Dept. Government of Maharashtra. Worked as Assistant Professor at SIES Indian Institute of Environment Management.
• Ms. Rasika Nachankar (Project Associates) - Passionate about working in the clean air space. She has done her B.SC. in Biotechnology and Master’s in Environmental Science. She has 2+ years in research & community engagement in the space of air quality.
• Mr. Mohsinkhan Pathan (Project Associates) - A Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering and M.E. in Environmental Technology. 5+ years in air quality management & professorship.

Operational Sustainability Plan: What is this solution’s plan to ensure operational sustainability.

The solution will be replicated in the non-attainment cities in Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra states. The idea is to create a strong community front with the strength-building of Fellows from each city. These fellows will be a mix of common citizens and people from local research organisations or NGOs as this will ensure the successful continuation of this program in the long run. These fellows after acquiring the training can then take leadership either through their organisation or independently with the help of Waatavaran.

The fellows and the communities will solely take this initiative ahead, since their technological and knowledge capacities will be built by Waatavaran. The Clean Air Action Hubs will also be formed in each city, which will take the efforts of policy advocacy with the government, environment department as well as with State Pollution Control Boards. Implementation of city clean air action plans will be ensured by these hubs.

VIDEO: Please share the link to a 1-minute YouTube video that answers the following “I identify as a Green Changemaker because...”. Ensure that your video does not exceed 60 seconds

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1K2281KcZQl_OqbAqfhwsMZkPpKj1Kn_M/view?usp=sharing

Impact Model: While reviewing applications, we identified a need to better understand the impact models for the innovations that applied. How would you describe the activities you engage in and what outcomes and long-term impact do they lead to?

1. Project orientation - Fellows, internal program staff

2. Bootcamps - Fellows, internal program staff

3. Installation of Air Quality Monitors - Fellows, Community, Individuals from society, civil society organisations, local govt. authorities, state pollution control board

4. State level convenings - Corporators, Fellows, individuals from communities, civil society organisations, local govt. authorities, state pollution control board

Audience: Who are you most directly impacting through your work? Who is the target beneficiary? Please specify if the population you are reaching is underserved due to any of the following characteristics?

If you chose the "Other" option, please specify

Target beneficiary is every living creature that breathes. Our activities will benefit youths (fellows), communities, government stakeholders.

How are you activating green changemakers?

If you chose the "Other" option, please specify

Organization Type: Which organization type best describes how your work or initiative has been organized or registered?

Nonprofit/NGO

Tell us briefly about how you have and/ or would like to engage partners or other changemakers to enhance your approach:

We would partner with local organisations associated in each state that align with the cause of improving air quality. We would also like to partner with like-minded individual changemakers in the state. 

Annual budget: Hint: What is the cost for your current operations every year (or most recent year)? This is expenditure for your project or organization. The reference currency is the U.S. dollar.

$100k - $250k

Winning Impact Potential: How would winning the Green Changemakers Challenge impact and leverage your work?

• 30 Mitrs (fellows) will share a dream of making their respective states and India, pollution-free.
• 30 Mitrs learn to set up real time air quality monitors and the technicalities associated with it
• Landscape of air quality of 15 cities will be mapped (3 cities per state)
• Mitrs will be acquainted with the idea of dashboard and ways to access the air quality information
• Mitrs will learn about the ways to answer queries of the general public or govt. institutions regarding the validation of these sensors by State Pollution Control Boards
• Technical skills of integrating the data from low-cost sensors onto the Open AQ platform will be learnt by the Mitrs
• Mitrs will learn and be able to access the air quality and analyze the data
• Each mitr will engage with the community
• Communities from 15 cities will be engaged, common whatsapp platforms will be formed.
• Formation of 15 Clean Air Action Hubs (1 each city)

Skills Matching: If you win, you may have the opportunity to be matched with HSBC employees for skill-based mentorship. If matched, which of the following skills would you be most interested in receiving?

Project Management