Visit to Water Bank,

Ankoli
 Background…

What are our basic needs?

And how are they fulfilled?

 Clothing

Shelter Food

Where does the

energy required
for fulfilling these
come from?
For e.g.. Rice

Rice grain is planted and grows
into a plant
Nutrients in the soil are
converted to biomass
Energy of the sun, Carbon
dioxide and water required for
carrying out photosynthesis
Solar energy stored in the
rice in the form of
carbohydrates

And then…
For e.g.. Rice

Once the grains are formed,
they are removed and grains
are separated and many
processes done
Human, animal, electric
(either coal or hydro)

Transport of rice to the
consumer
Petrol, Diesel

Cooking of rice
LPG, wood, kerosene
etc.
So what…?
•Fossil Fuels are not a
sustainable energy source
•A sustainable process is a
process which can be
carried out indefinitely
without harming the
environment in any way
•Fossil fuels are carbon
emitters and contributors
to global warming
•Efforts need to be put at
war front to reduce the
damages caused due to
global warming
 Why visit Ankoli?

 As we have seen the way we live today is unsustainable

 So then what should we do to make our lifestyle sustainable?
 This is exactly what Arun and Sumangal Deshpande are
experimenting with in Ankoli, Solapur
 What we are going to see is radically different
 It might just make our heads spin
 However what we are going to experience is scientific facts
 Let us at least start thinking about these things

“The eyes do not see what the mind does not know”
 What is the Ankoli Project?

 Current city lifestyle is unsustainable

 Rural life has its own shortcomings
 Can we combine the good elements of both these lifestyles?
 Arun Deshpande has thought of “Rurban Lifestyle” Rural+Urban
 Rurban Lifestyle
 Rural component
 Produce as much as one can consume

 Prosumer (Producer + Consumer)

 Minimize the necessity of transport

 Satisfy all needs locally (Panchakroshi)

 Urban Component
 Latest technological advances in communication/information

revolution
 Access to global knowledge
 Water Bank Project

 For any self sustaining lifestyle water is a must

 So the development of a water bank (i.e. a bank of water)
 Climatic conditions of Ankoli
 Total Average Annual Precipitation Rainfall and Dew – 500 mm

 Typical Rain-shadow Area

 Total rain hours – 50

 50% rainfall in 5 hours

 Heavy showers of short duration during returning monsoon

 Limited success to usual water conservation methods

Glimpses of Ankoli…

Front gate Arun Deshpande

 Glimpses of Ankoli…

Nirmaanites take lunch with Dome where Deshpandes live

Mr. Arun Deshpande
 Glimpses of Ankoli…

Dome structures Water Bank

 Boards at Ankoli…

There are many interesting boards at Ankoli which present shocking

facts and ask simple but profound questions and leave us scratching
our head

Have a look at what follows…

 Food for Thought

Get an estimate for how much energy you will be

consuming for the Ankoli Visit!!