Action plan workshop for the rejuvenation and sustenance of the Arkavathi river basin - Discussion summary and research papers (2009)

A one-day “Action plan workshop for the rejuvenation and sustenance of Arkavathi river basin”, was organised on 25th July 2009, by the Global Academy of Technology and Geological Society of India at Bangalore, to discuss the future of the dying Arkavathi river and Bangalore's precarious water situation, and to develop concurrent implementable action plans to address the problem. The Arkavathi is a tributary of the river Kaveri, originating in Nandi Hills in Chikkaballapur district, that provides about 20% of the total water requirements of Bangalore, with Kaveri providing the remaining 80%.

The discussion was organised along the following range of topics:

1. Status of naturally endowed water resources as revealed by maps and satellite images
2. Impact of urbanization on the natural system
3. Changing scenario of hydrology of the region
4. Issues related to water pollution
5. Status of rainfall and scope for rainwater harvesting
6. Legal framework for follow-up action
7. Integrated use of water resources
8. Administrative boundaries and role of elected representatives

Participants in the workshop included elected representatives of Arkavathi basin, Bureaucrats, Non-government organizations, Academic institutions, Government officers, Students and Citizens. The workshop was sponsored by Bangalore Development Authority, Arghyam, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, Karnataka State Industrial Investment and Development Corporation, Karnataka Power Corporation Limited, Karnataka Science & Technology Academy and Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board. A total of 126 participants from 36 organizations/experts, participated in the workshop.

The workshop started with a briefing on background to the issue, discussion on various themes and dimensions to the problem, presentation of related technical papers by various sector experts, enlisting of views from participants and drawing up of final recommendations.

The list of technical papers that were presented to set the tone for the discussion, and to aid in preparation of an action plan for subsequent implementation were:

1. Introduction to the workshop (in Kannada)
2. Arkavathi Darshana - Y Lingaraju (in Kannada)
3. Executive summary of all research papers (in Kannada)
4. Urban Hydrology – Emerging perspectives - CV Srinivasa
5. Scarcity of water - Will Bangalore face its natural death? - S Raja Rao
6. How to save the lakes of Bangalore? - An action plan - V Balasubramanian
7. Merging ecological and legal aspects in conservation of Arkavathi basin - N Nandini, AN Yellappa Reddy and Aboud S Jumbe
8. Groundwater resources in Arkavathi basin - TN Venugopal and CS Ramasesha
9. Arkavathi Sutti Banda Patrakarthana Anisike - Manjunath (in Kannada)
10. Arkavathy Information Repository - A means towards managing water resources - VR Hegde
11. Integrated approach and speedy laws are needed to rejuvenate Arkavathi - K Shivashankar
12. Water quality studies in Arkavathi basin - Shashirekha
13. Institutional and legal framework for planning and managing river basins - S Vishwanath
14. Requiem for our rivers - S Vishwanath
15. The role of computers in the development of Doddamuduwadi micro-watershed, Kanakapura Taluk, Ramanagara District - VN Vasudev, Nagaraj, Bangarshetty and N Prabhakara
16. Restoration of lakes in Bruhuth Bangalore Mahanagar Palike – Satish
17. Characterization study on reservoir water bodies fed by polluted river and its effect on soil & vegetation using a case study of Byramangala tank fed by Vrishabhavathi river in Arkavathi catchment - KV Lokesh, G Ranganna, H Chandrashekar (Paper not available in attachment)
18. Delineation of artificial recharge zones of Arkavathi river basin using remote sensing and GIS Techniques - TJ Renuka Prasad (Paper not available in attachment)

Access the workshop discussion summary and research papers below. These are also available on the websites of the Geological Society of India, and the Global Academy of Technology (discussion summary and research papers).