Raipur chhattisgarh VISHESH : On the occasion of World Water Day 2025, the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Raipur organized a Stakeholders Consultation Program on 21.3.2025, Friday entitled “Flowing with Purpose: Strengthening Capacity for Aviral Dhara of Mahanadi”. The event was conducted by the Center for Mahanadi River Basin Management & Studies (cMahanadi) under the Department of Civil Engineering at NIT Raipur.
The session began with a warm welcome address delivered by Dr. Sahajpreet Kaur. This was followed by an insightful overview of the Center (cMahanadi) by Dr. Sandeep Soni, Senior Project Scientist, cMahanadi, NIT raipur who introduced the key Mission of CAMP, vision and ongoing initiatives of cMahanadi. Dr. Soni elaborated on the tasks and principles guiding the Mahanadi River Basin in Chhattisgarh highlighting the need of Aviral Dhara (uninterrupted flow) which is crucial for maintaining the ecological health and socio-economic relevance of the river system.
The program’s importance and stakeholder engagement were comprehensively addressed during the session by Dr. Samir Bajpai, Center Head and Coordinator. He provided valuable insights into how active participation from key stakeholders is essential for the successful implementation and long-term sustainability of the project. He also highlighted that the project is currently being implemented across six major river basins in India, emphasizing the wide geographical scope and impact of the initiative.
The event was graced by the presence of the Director-in-charge Dr. A. B. Soni, Prof. (HAG), Chemical Engineering Department, NIT Raipur.
Keynote speaker- Ms. Bijimol Jose (Scientist-D & Course Director Rajiv Gandhi National Ground Water Training and Research Institute Central Ground Water Board Raipur delivered a talk on the interaction between surface water and groundwater. She also explained the importance of groundwater and the recharge of aquifers for sustaining the Aviral Dhara in the Mahanadi River basin.
The event was graced by the presence of the Chief Guest Dr. Tej Ram Nayak (Scientist G [Retd], NIT Roorkee and Technical Advisor WRD) emphasized the importance of maintaining a continuous (aviral) river flow throughout the year and highlighted that Chhattisgarh, despite being rich in water resources, faces water scarcity during the non-monsoon seasons due to poor water management. He stressed that effective planning and sustainable practices are crucial to overcoming this challenge. Dr. Nayak suggested several key measures, including rainwater harvesting, watershed management, the revival of traditional water bodies, groundwater recharge through check dams and percolation tanks, afforestation, and soil conservation to improve water retention. He also underlined the role of community participation in water conservation efforts. By adopting these strategies, he noted, it is possible to ensure year-round river flow and sustainable water availability for agriculture and domestic use.
Shri. D S Goyal, Deputy Director, Central Water Commission emphasized the crucial role of accurate and comprehensive data in effective river basin management. He discussed the availability of hydrological data collected from various gauging sites, which are essential for monitoring river flow, sediment transport, and water quality. Such data supports the planning and implementation of sustainable water resource strategies.
The cMahanadi website and mobile application were developed to facilitate real-time data collection and to create a digital bridge between riverine communities along the Mahanadi River. This initiative plays a crucial role in empowering local populations, promoting environmental awareness, and enabling timely data sharing related to river health, community issues, and conservation efforts.
The design and development of both the website and app were led by Dr. Chandan Kumar Singh, one of the key coordinators of cMahanadi, along with a dedicated team of volunteers and developers. The platform is tailored to meet the needs of people living in villages along the river.
Open discussion was held highlighting the Major Challenges for having Aviral Dhara in Mahanadi River including Shri Nagaria form Water Resource Department and all relevant stakeholders from Central Ground Water Board (CGWB), Central Water Commission (CWC), and others. The primary objective of this meeting will be to explore avenues for working together effectively and develop a collaborative framework for the integrated river basin.
The event concluded on a high note with a heartfelt vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Sahajpreet Kaur, Senior Project Scientist.
The event was conducted in the presence of Dr. Shirish. V. Deo, HoD, Department of Civil Engineering, Dr. Ajay Vikram Ahirwar (PI, cMahanadi), Dr. Vikas Kumar Vidyarthi (PI, cMahanadi), Dr. S. K. Chouksey, Dr. Vinit Lambey, Dr. Supriya Pal, Dr. Shashikant Verma (Project Scientist, cMahanadi), Dr. Khsitij Upadhyay (Project Scientist, cMahanadi), Dr. Amit Shukla (Project Scientist, cMahanadi), Ph.D. scholars, M.Tech. (WRD & IE) scholars and others.
