Khushalsar and Gilsar are living examples. When we started Mission Ehsaas, many people laughed at us. They said, ‘We’ve seen these things before. You will take your money and disappear.’ I told them only one thing: Give me a week and don’t disturb me. Let our work speak.’

Within days, we managed to reopen part of the blocked navigation channel. People began to notice that something was actually changing. Slowly, they started believing and joining us. Over the next 100 days, nearly 1,000 truckloads of waste and muck were removed. Water that had remained stagnant for decades started flowing again.

That is the power of community participation. When people, stakeholders and the administration come together, anything and everything is possible.