Contextualising Urban Waterbodies Management in India: Approach, Priorities and Planning Mechanisms

Background 

Urban waterbodies are critical green infrastructures, as a source of water supply,aiding wastewater management, augmenting urban drainage systems, recharging groundwater and providing multitudes of socio-economic benefits including livelihood, recreation, ecological benefits, etc. However, these are threatened by planned and unplanned encroachments, unsustainable urban planning practices and poor management of the waterbody itself. As a result, urban waterbodies, once the pillar of civilization, are increasingly seen as nuisance due to poor water quality, waste dumping and hazard to public health. 

A water-sensitive urban design and planning (WSUDP) approach for waterbodies management addresses issues and challenges at the catchment scale, buffer and storage area. It builds on linkages of waterbodies to groundwater, wastewater, urban planning, livelihoods, etc., and allows practitioners to prepare holistic long-term strategies for rejuvenation and management of urban waterbodies.India has embarked upon the Amrit Sarovar campaign to address issues on urban waterbodies management, and has further added 11 more Ramsar sites in 2022, taking the total to 75 sites. CSE is organising this webinar to sensitize practitioners and stakeholders for urban waterbodies management in context of India; and explore the WSUDP approach, priorities and planning mechanisms to rejuvenate urban waterbodies.

This webinar is a part of series of activities envisaged under 3-year duration CSE programme – ‘Capacity building initiative focusing on ‘Making Ganga basin cities water sensitive’. Under this initiative series of – webinars, workshops, trainings (online and residential), field exposure visits, knowledge conclaves aimed at engaging 1,300+ state / municipal functionaries and other sector players. The programme is supported by National Mission Clean Ganga and is part of the series of ongoing efforts by NMCG aimed to ensuring convergence of Namami Gange Mission with national flagship urban missions (AMRUT, Smart Cities, Swachh Bharat Mission, HRIDAY, NULM) and other missions (Atal Bhujal Yojana, Jal Jeewan Mission, Jal Shakti Mission) at state /city level across Ganga basin states.

About the Webinar

This webinar will deliver a range of informative and engaging sessions to enhance participants’ knowledge on urban waterbodiesrejuvenation and management, with case studies across India. It will sensitize practitioners on the planning mechanisms for protecting waterbodies, pollution abatement techniques, ecology and biodiversity aspects, and the enabling framework for waterbodies management in India.

Key highlights: 

• WSUDP approach for waterbodies management, enabling framework under NMCG, AMRUT 2.0 for rejuvenation
• Opportunity to learn from the experience in India, focussing on cities of Chennai, Bangalore, Delhi,Pune, Alwar, etc – in terms of the case studies on rejuvenation, pollution abatement, ecology, linkages with groundwater, wastewater, urban planning, livelihoods, etc. 

Academic Director

Depinder Singh Kapur   
Director
Water Programme, CSE
Email: dkapur@cseindia.org

Webinar Coordinator

Shivani
Senior Research Associate
Water Programme
Phone: +91-11-40616000 (Ext: 244)
Mobile: 8699770153
Email: shivani.y@cseindia.org