Study by VNIT suggests new bodies, measures for water woes in the metro region

A joint study by professors and students of the Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT) and the Keio University of Japan (KU) recommended the establishment of an urban-rural governance coordinating entity in Nagpur to address water conflicts arising from rapid urbanization, crop loss, forest conservation, land use and food security concerns in the subway. The report also highlighted the decreasing availability of water in the Nagpur Metropolitan Area (NMA) and suggested the creation of alternative sources of water in various parts of the district. Numerous agencies are involved in water management in the Nagpur region, but policy coordination at different levels is needed for sharing water in NMA, it says.Under land cover change, the study prioritizes the need to ensure food security in NMA as fertile agricultural land was lost to urbanization in its northeastern area between 2006 and 2018. The report shows the flow analysis of people in urban, rural and forested areas along the Pench corridor. It carries a foreword from Mayor Sandip Joshi, who states that the study offers an insight into Nagpur’s grassroot-level issues, and that the secret to achieving sustainable urban development is to improve urban-rural linkages.
The report Building Resilient Cities — By Urban-Rural Partnership cites water as one of economic growth’s main determinants and calls for a holistic long-term plan to balance supply and demand of the region’s scarce resources.In view of declining water availability in the Totladoh dam, the researchers also recommended alternative water sources, such as the Rehari dam on the Kanhan river, to meet growing water demands.Showing a comparison of decadal results, the study points out that areas near Nagpur City are experiencing maximum rural-urban transition. On Thursday, a round table was held to discuss the study submitted to the Nagpur Mun by representatives of disaster management institutions, civil bodies, the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) and VNIT, KU professors. GS Saini Director of National Fire Service College (NFSC), NMC Chief Fire Officer Rajendra Uchake, VNIT Director Pramod Padole, and the research teams were present.Kamakshi Thapa, Harshitha N, Sameer Deshkar (all from VNIT), Vibhas Sukhwani, Rajib Shaw, Wanglin Yan (all from KU) and Bijon Kumar Mitra (IGES) are among the researchers. The study is part of the research carried out under the Bilateral Agreement between India and Japan. The study aims to apply in rural and urban Nagpur the concept of’ Regional-Circular Ecological Sphere (R-CES). It details the physical and changing climate characteristics, demographic transitions, land use / land cover change, Nagpur water source areas, urban-rural water conflicts, water policy and governance aspects, and urban-rural partnership avenues, as well as recommending entry points for R-CES. Professor Deshkar said the concept of R-CES is based on an integrated policy approach that incorporates low-carbon society, the circulation of resources, and living in harmony with nature.