1. Restoring urban watersheds through an IRBM perspective

Gomukh Trust has been coordinating a project funded by the European union on Best Practices in Water supply and Sanitation in India.
( www.cerna.ensmp.fr/Progeuropeens/INUWASAPI/Inuwasapi.html)

Through the project, Pune Water and Sanitation Group was formed consisting of experts and stakeholders in the field of urban water management in the Pune city. We have tried to bring together the Municipal Corporation Officials and the citizens on a common negotiating platform .
The group consists of :

• Mr. Vivek Kharwadkar, Department of Water Supply and Sanitation
• Mr. Yashawant Khaire, Department of Parks and Gardens
• Mr. Nirbhavane, Drainage Department
• Planning Department
• Ground Water Survey and Development Agency (GSDA)
• Prof. Paranjpye, Ms. Parineeta Dandekar, Ms. Jigisha Mhaskar Gomukh Environmental Trust
• Dr. Himanshu Kulkarni, ACWADAM
• Ms. Sanskriti Menon, Center for Environment Education (CEE)
• Dr. Sandeep and Sayali Joshi Shrishti Eco Labs
• Mr. Sameer Pune, Applied Environmental Research Foundation (AERF)
• Dr. Shrikant Limaye, Ground Water Institute (GWI)
• Ms. Pratima Joshi, Shelters Associates
• Ms. Kirloskar, Ms. Gothurkar, Intach
• Mr. Desouza, River Action Group (RAG)

Through the project, in-depth research proposals have been formulated for restoring the Amabil Odha and Ram Nadi Catchments in Pune city. Currently, these nallahs have becomes repositories of waste and sewage.
The proposals have tried to integrate elements from ecological restoration, environment education, bioremediation, conservation biology, and Integrated River Basin Management.

The innovative elements of the project are:

Innovative elements stem from the approach the case holders have taken towards the project. The integral elements are:

• Integration and inclusiveness; It has to be noted that an integrated approach to Water and Sanitation Management through ecological restoration is, by itself, an innovative approach, seldom in practice in India.
  
  
• Ecosystems thinking: Ecosystems approach to planning, management and implementation, while taking into consideration goods and services as well as the health of downstream and upstream areas in an urban setting is an innovative approach.



• Site specific, innovative solutions: Pollution preventing and reducing technologies will be identified specific to each site condition. The aim will be to look for solutions that are ‘appropriate’ and not necessarily conventional.



• Watershed’ or catchment approach to water and sanitation management: Though a watershed approach to water management has been extensively followed in rural India, there are few urban examples of this approach. The main reason being the physical and psychological distance from the source of water. However, urban areas can also gain from a watershed approach in terms of flood management, environmental stewardship, aesthetic green areas, conjunctive water use etc. It would also be a unique idea to learn how the watershed model can be adapted to urban conditions, through this project.



• Responding to ‘gaps’ left through the conventional system: The proposal at hand tries to address issues that are commonly left out due to grey areas in terms of jurisdiction. Many a times, these are critical ‘gap’ areas and are cross cutting in nature. Focusing on the gaps will also help identifying the agencies who could be made responsible for them and in cases of overlapping jurisdictions can lead to improved integration.

Objectives of the project are:

Conservation and Restoration of the Ambil Odha & the Ram Nadi through integration of the following aspects:

• Ecosystem needs
• Equitable and efficient water supply
• Water conservation and wise water use
• Improved sanitation
• Efficient sewage and effluent treatment
• Efficient Storm Water Drainage systems
• Conjunctive use of surface and groundwater
• Effective and sustained participation of communities Enhanced health and quality of life for residents along the stream.