Almora | Correspondent
A grassroots environmental campaign led by municipal councillor Amit Sah Monu is breathing new life into Almora’s traditional water sources — the ancient Naulas. What began as a personal initiative has now turned into a people’s movement, with increasing support from local residents and civil society.
For the past month, Councillor Amit Sah Monu has been conducting weekly Sunday clean-up drives at neglected naulas across Almora. Each Saturday, a specific naula is identified, and by Sunday morning, the team arrives on-site to clean and restore it. Civil society group Hisalu and former councillor Jagmohan Bisht, along with citizens like Krishna Singh, Deepak Joshi, Manoj Matela, Kundan Singh Chamyal, and Mahesh Mehta, have been actively participating in this mission.
Speaking to the media, Sah said, “I started this campaign at my own level, but the community’s involvement has strengthened the effort tremendously. These naulas were once the lifeline of Almora, providing pure drinking water. Unfortunately, many have vanished or are buried under filth and neglect. Our aim is to bring them back to life and safeguard them for future generations.”
So far, five naulas have been cleaned and partially revived. The latest in the series was the Dhoongadhara Naula, where volunteers gathered once again this Sunday.
Sah emphasized the importance of community ownership in this campaign. “It is not just the responsibility of the administration. Every citizen should take it upon themselves to preserve their local naulas. Their revival directly benefits the people of the town,” he said.
This growing initiative is not just about water conservation — it’s a step toward restoring Almora’s identity as the ‘City of Naulas’. With sustained effort and public support, this movement holds the potential to become a defining environmental legacy for the region.
