MORE than any other living being on this planet, humans must be responsible for environmental protection. No other life form has degraded nature as much as we have. On World Environment Day, it is imperative that we look at the depletion of natural resources, which has reached monumental proportions. Deforestation, pollution and climate change have led to the degradation of the environment like never before. We can no longer hurtle down a path of irreversible harm to the environment on planet earth. On World Environment Day, what is needed is absolute resolve and commitment to environmental protection.
On World Environment Day, let us pledge to lead sustained efforts to bring back plants and animals from the brink of extinction, regenerate natural water sources, carry out mass afforestation and commit to several other day-to-day changes. These include growing trees, building more green cities, practicing better waste management and keeping our lakes and rivers clean.
Here, we list the top 10 NGOs in India that are involved in protecting our environment through various methods.
Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE)
An environment-based think tank with global recognition, ATREE generates interdisciplinary knowledge to inform policy and practice towards conservation and sustainability.
The organisation has been working on social-environmental issues from local to global policy levels for almost two decades. It envisions a society committed to environmental protection and conservation on earth and stands for sustainable and socially-just development. It works closely with policymakers, environmental leaders and also builds an army of next-generation environment warriors through its academic programmes, studies and workshops. To support ATREE, you can donate here:
Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group
Focussed on promoting sustainable and equitable growth for every member of society, Chintan works towards ensuring responsible and sustainable consumption, thus protecting the environment. Chintan endeavours to lessen surplus waste, promote sustainable consumption and facilitate better waste management. They also raise their voice against air pollution by creating awareness. The primary purpose of promoting sustainable consumption and waste management is to provide resources for the marginalised sections of society.
As one of India’s top NGOs for environmental protection, Chintan manages over 30 tonnes of solid and electronic waste each day in and around Delhi. They partner with garbage pickers and volunteers to free the environment from such hazardous waste and create a better future for the generations to come. To support Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group, you can donate here:
SankalpTaru Foundation
This NGO has used digital channels to protect and conserve the environment. SankalpTaru is an e-NGO, which aims at promoting tree plantations across the country. The plantation drive is run on a digital platform, allowing SankalpTaru to use innovative technologies such as GPS-tagging. Through this method, volunteers can track the progress of plantation drives. So far, millions of trees have been planted since SankapTaru’s inception in 2013. To support SankalpTaru Foundation, you can donate here:
Mukti
In the midst of the Sunderbans of West Bengal, one of the most extensive mangrove forests in the world, Mukti works for the region’s social and economic development and environmental protection. Mukti has been operating in the Sunderbans for almost two decades, working in poverty alleviation, education, livelihood, environment and other areas. The organisation is working with around 40 communities affected by environment-related disasters such as cyclones and land and sea degradation.
Mukti assists over 5,000 rural needy women in earning a living by giving them interest-free loans, and skilling them. To protect the local ecosystem, Mukti has undertaken activities like tree plantation and encouraging people to go solar for electricity. To support Mukti, you can donate here:
Environmentalist Foundation of India
Working towards wildlife conservation and habitat restoration, the foundation focuses on reviving freshwater habitats such as lakes and ponds across the country.
EFI believes that most of India’s freshwater bodies are contaminated due to human activity and their revival through scientific means is of utmost importance. EFI has revived and ecologically restored several freshwater lakes and ponds across the country since 2007 and believes in revisiting them through community-based collaborative conservation efforts. The organisation works in over 14 Indian states, including Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Karnataka and the Jammu & Kashmir area. To support Environmentalist Foundation of India, you can donate here:
Janmitram Kalyan Samiti
Literally translated to “friends of the people”, the Janmitran Kalyan Samiti was established in 2002 to work towards community development, with the government and community-based groups. Through their Wadi Development Program in association with the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), they have successfully created more than 900 orchards, providing livelihood and basic needs to the tribal people.
The most remarkable accomplishment of this project is that the barren lands that farmers earlier used for growing minor crops are now fertile and provide a better income. This programme has been supporting and protecting the environment and the people for almost ten years now. The Watershed Program is another initiative by the NGO, which aims at soil and water conservation activities in specific areas allotted to the NGO. They also work towards capacity building and training of the locals and tribal people. To support Janmitram Kalyan Samiti, you can donate here:
Haritika
The organisation works mainly in the backward region of Bundelkhand on issues affecting the rural poor. Its interventions have been on restoring natural resources and making the region’s villagers self-reliant.
Haritika has been working for rural electrification through environment-friendly solar energy and has mobilised villagers and disseminated information on its benefits. It has been working with the farmers to energise natural water sources and manage them without over-exploiting underground water. As water scarcity is a massive problem, watershed development is another area of intervention in the region. Haritika believes that its programmes can result in poverty reduction, improvement in water availability, sanitation and social progress. To support Haritika, you can donate here:
Deepalaya
This Delhi-based NGO has several programmes on environmental protection, eco-conservation, sanitation and waste disposal and training. It also works closely with the state governments in Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh in afforestation and other environment-related activities through its schools.
Deepalaya was founded in 1979 to foster self-reliance and help underprivileged children overcome societal limitations. It works in various states, including Delhi, Haryana, UP, Punjab, and Uttarakhand. The organisation regularly conducts community outreach programmes highlighting the issue of conservation of the environment, protection and sustainable agriculture. To support Deepalaya, you can donate here:
Marathwada Gramin Vikas Sansthan (MGVS)
Established in 1996, MGVS promotes community-based development programmes in water and soil conservation, sanitation, healthcare and agriculture.
Water conservation in villages is a primary focus area, as the Marathwada region of Maharashtra is prone to droughts. The organisation works with local stakeholders in water harvesting, increasing groundwater levels, creating facilities for improved irrigation and regenerating water bodies. Soil conservation is another critical area the organisation is involved in within the region. MGVS also works closely with government bodies for an integrated approach to the region’s environment-related problems. To support Marathwada Gramin Vikas Sansthan, you can donate here:
Babul Films Society
This unique social organisation spreads awareness about the environment, biodiversity, and sustainable development using short videos, social media and traditional advocacy methods. The organisation makes independent short films highlighting the need for environmental protection and promoting sustainable development.
The organisation also encourages individuals and organisations to follow in their footsteps and create more films. It offers guidance on ideation, concept, script development, budgeting, shoot planning, packaging and legal formalities for prospective ‘green’ filmmakers. It also organises contests to encourage young environmentally-conscious filmmakers. To support Babul Films Society, you can donate here:
Pledge your support each month
To provide constant support to the effort to work for environmental protection, you can pledge your support each month and contribute toward the permanent and sustainable effort to clean India’s environment:
Support Mission: Clean India's Environment
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Kumara was a professional journalist for over 15 years, with stints in The Telegraph and Reader’s Digest. He grew up hating maths and physics. He is a post-graduate in history. Kumara believes that cricket and Seinfeld have answers to most questions that life throws at you.
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