Project Nirmal An ESG Lens on Cleaning Water and Empowering Lives

About 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by water oceans, lakes, rivers and even ice. Yet, despite this abundance, water pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental challenges globally. Over 171 trillion litres of waterways are released directly into the environment every year. In India, only 30% of the 72,000 million litres of sewage generated daily is treated, making untreated sewage the largest source of water pollution in the country.

Although this alarming reality remains largely unknown, what is widely discussed is the visible pollution of our rivers and oceans every single day. These water bodies are contaminated by harmful chemicals discharged from factories, households, hotels and other establishments. A major contributor to this pollution is the widespread use of chemical-based dishwashing liquids and hand wash.

Soaps, detergents and cleaning agents are used by us in our daily lives. While these products help keep our homes clean, they silently harm aquatic ecosystems and disturb life beneath the water surface. These pollutants eventually enter the food chain, posing a severe risk not only to the environment but also to human health.

This is a very serious issue, yet only a handful of organisations are genuinely working towards solving it. Unfortunately, many who could contribute to this cause often hold an ulterior profit-driven motive, selling so-called environmentally friendly products mainly as a marketing strategy rather than truly aiming to protect the planet.

However, under the Enactus, Hansraj College, University of Delhi, Project Nirmal is actively addressing this challenge. The initiative focuses on creating eco-friendly dishwashing liquids, hand wash soaps, detergents and cleaning agents. Alongside this, the project works to raise awareness about water pollution and sustainable living through social outreach, educational campaigns and participation in community drives.

We are all aware of the voices that go unheard by women who were oppressed, denied dignity and subjected to abuse within their own homes. Yes, we are talking about domestic violence survivors. Under the project, we strive to uplift and empower these women by offering them opportunities to earn a livelihood, gain confidence and reclaim their respect and identity in society.

The Making of Project Nirmal

Project Nirmal was founded by Ayush and is currently co-led by him and Drishty, both second-year students at Hansraj College. When asked about the inspiration behind the initiative, he shared that the project did not emerge suddenly. He explained that the problem we are trying to address has always existed, but has been overlooked.

He mentioned that every day he observes chemical waste from households, factories, and hotels flowing into sewage systems and eventually into water bodies, despite being aware of the harmful consequences this poses to aquatic life and human health. He realised that ignoring this issue would only lead to serious environmental and health crises in the near future. Motivated by this, Ayush began working under the banner of Enactus Hansraj College, initiating research within the research and development department to understand the problem deeply and develop sustainable solutions.

The research and development wing acts as the backbone of Enactus; it identifies real-world problems, studies their root causes, understands the affected communities, and explores feasible solutions. Once a feasible solution is found, the research and development team formulates a new project based on the principles of social entrepreneurship, making sure that the initiative not only benefits society but also sustains itself over time. Through this structured approach, Project Nirmal was born as a step towards building a cleaner, healthier, and more responsible future.

Nirmal and Domestic Violence Survivors

Nirmal operates under Enactus Hansraj, an organisation committed to the vision of social entrepreneurship and functioning as a completely non-profit entity. We strive to create both environmental and social impact. A key part of our mission is to empower survivors of domestic violence, women who have faced abuse within their homes and have long been denied dignity and opportunity.

To support them, we collaborate with NGOs already working in this area. Through these collaborations, we identify women searching for a restart and provide them with relevant employment opportunities at our production units, actively contributing to the manufacturing of eco-friendly products. This helps them to gain financial independence, rebuild their confidence, and help them stand in society at their rightful place which they deserve.

Verticals of Nirmal

Project Nirmal functions through a three-fold approach, addressing the issue of water pollution at multiple levels.

1. Sanjeevni Under this vertical, we utilise a bioculture-based solution for water remediation. In sewage treatment plants (STPs), this biological treatment method helps revive contaminated water naturally, reducing chemical dependency and improving wastewater management on a large scale.

2. Niwas While researching, we identified that the root of the problem begins within our households, long before water waste reaches sewage systems. To address this problem, Project Nirmal has developed a range of bioenzyme-based cleaners that are completely eco-friendly. Unlike their chemical counterparts, these products break down stains and waste naturally without producing toxic by-products. This significantly reduces harmful chemical runoff from homes and everyday activities to domestic spaces.

3. Bhoomi During the research, we also discovered a related crisis. Thousands of farmers lose their lives each year, often due to debt, crop failure, poor irrigation, and soil degradation caused by prolonged use of chemical-based fertilisers. To support sustainable agriculture, we introduced Bhoomi, our agriculture vertical dedicated to rejuvenating farmlands through bio-organic fertilisers and soil improvement. This initiative aims to restore soil health, improve crop yield naturally and, support farmers in achieving financial and environmental resilience.

Cleaning Water, Empowering Communities, Creating Ripples of Change

The initiative is slowly but surely forming a cleaner and more conscious future for India. Project Nirmal is at the dawn of an exciting journey, one that is rooted in sustainability, innovation, and community building. It intends to address wastewater mismanagement to enable dignified livelihoods and is not just a project that will remain on college grounds.

To combat local waterlogging and untreated sewage discharge, we will implement decentralized drainage-treatment systems with RWAs throughout Delhi-NCR starting next month. In an effort to restore river health naturally and sustainably, we are working with the Delhi Jal Board to install bio-enzyme treatment systems in the Yamuna. Additionally, we are collaborating with Reliance Fresh to introduce environmentally friendly cleaners into Indian homes, enabling everyone to live sustainably and affordably.

Project Nirmal is dedicated to India's agriculture in addition to its urban ecosystems. In Punjab and Haryana, we are accelerating organic farming projects to assist farmers in switching from chemical-based methods to regenerative, soil-friendly farming. We advocate for human empowerment in addition to environmental reform.

We are demonstrating that sustainability and social impact are intertwined by hiring women survivors and facilitating respectable livelihoods. Today, Project Nirmal proudly contributes to SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 6 (Clean Water & Sanitation), along with nine other sustainable development goals—building a scalable and sustainable model to address India’s wastewater and hygiene crisis.

The journey of Project Nirmal has so far been one of commendable success. Official recognition from the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, support from the East Delhi Municipal Corporation, and coverage by most national media have practically communicated its growing legitimacy and impact. Project Nirmal is determinedly working for a cleaner, safer, and more inclusive future for every community by pushing the boundaries, innovating, and doing collaborative work. The vision couldn't be clearer sustainable livelihoods for farmers, equal opportunities for women, and access to water across India. They are working together to make it happen.