Dental Surgeons Become Wildlife Warriors, Install 193 Solar Water Pumps

In June 2016, a wildlife enthusiast couple from Mumbai, Dr. Sarita Subramaniam and Dr. P.V. Subramaniam, visited the Kanha Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh. There, they witnessed a semi-adult tigress having difficulty finding water, as she was forced to drink from a small puddle to cool herself from the scorching heat.

Concerned by the animals' struggle to access water, the couple decided to take action. In 2017, they formed the Earth Brigade Foundation (EBF) to help conserve wildlife. Their first step was to install solar-operated water pumps in forest areas, providing a steady source of drinking water for wild animals.

Since 2018, the EBF has installed 193 such pumps in 28 different forests across 8 Indian states, including Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Chhattisgarh. Of these, 21 forests are home to tigers. The couple explains that the forest department's water tanker arrangements are often unable to reach remote areas, and the entry of vehicles leads to pollution. The EBF's solar-powered pumps have helped address this issue, costing between ₹3 to ₹4 lakh per installation.