Bharat Biotech has agreed to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Society for Advancement of Human Endeavor (SAHE) to restore and rejuvenate the historic stepwells at Ammapalli Temple and Salar Jung Museum. The MoU was sealed on Friday night by Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Minister for Youth Advancement, Tourism and Culture Jupally Krishan Rao, and A. Vani Prasad, Principal Secretary for Youth Advancement, Tourism and Culture.
The initiative will preserve Telangana’s cultural heritage while promoting water conservation and building eco-heritage tourism. According to an official statement, the restoration project also falls under the Telangana government’s CSR.
Suchitra Ella, MD and Director of Bharat Biotech, said, “Through our small contribution, we are part of a very large cause to breathe life back into these extraordinary, ancient step-wells, inspiring the community to engage with its rich heritage and providing sustainable water management.” She emphasized the immense importance of cultural heritage.
Bharat Biotech collaborates with the Confederation of Indian Industry, Telangana, for environmental sustainability and eco-heritage tourism initiatives. She stated that this emphasizes a shared commitment to restoring step-wells and educating the public about their cultural importance.
Stepwells have always been important sources of water supply in both rural and urban areas and manifestations of ancient engineering and architectural brilliance. At the Ammapalli Temple, a 13th-century stepwell has silently met the water needs of local villages and pilgrims over the centuries. The Salar Jung Museum boasts a community resource and a Qutb Shahi-period stepwell.
Better-known step-wells include Agrasen ki Baoli in Delhi and Rani ki Vav near Ahmedabad. However, many lesser-known and less ornate step-wells have gone out of use, often becoming demolition sites and dumping grounds since the water supply has been modernised.
According to UNESCO, India is the largest extractor of groundwater in the world, with levels estimated to have dropped by 61 per cent between 2007 and 2017. Even though it receives an average annual rainfall of about 1,170 millimetres, effective rainwater harvesting could secure water resources. Restoring step-wells is essential in this effort, as a massive amount of that rainwater, especially during the monsoon season, could help replenish groundwater supplies.
