District Level Watershed Surveillance & Research Institute JalaSRI:
A Novel & Innovative Prototype Initiative

Exciting initiative indeed. The unique district level watershed surveillance and research institute in the spirit of triadic digital governance and hotspot Geoinformatics for natural resource monitoring, etiology, early warning, and sustainable management, with emphasis on model watershed, rural entrepreneurial youth brigades, appropriate smart sensor networks, to help with improved restoration, enhancement, and impact assessment in response to district level linking of small rivers and streams as a vehicle for monsoon rainwater harvesting and management while we are facing the water scarcity. This is to provide a shot in the arm to restore and enhance agriculture, biodiversity, nature conservation, drinking water, and community life. The Jalgaon district model of digital governance in this context is in progress to be a prototype model, bringing together academia, agencies, and communities at the district level to innovatively help improve the synergistic of present day science and technology and local wisdom for watershed assessment, development, and sustainable livelihood. Jalgaon JalaSRI is a leading partner together with the district Collectorate, watershed communities, and others, such as the Pennsylvania State University Center for Statistical Ecology and Environmental Statistics, the United States National Science Foundation Project on Digital Governance and Hotspot Geoinformatics for Monitoring, Etiology, Early Warning, and Sustainable Management, International Crop Research Institute For Semi Arid Tropics, and others.

May this Jalgaon district JalaSRI prototype example be inspirational to districts of similar makeup in Maharashtra, in India, and in the world.