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Professional Chair, Centre for
Policy Research; Prof. Mr. Vinod
Tare, founding Head, cGanga and
Mr. Dheeraj Joshi, Deputy Secretary,
NMCG were among the panelists
of the sessions on Day 1.

DAY 2

Mr. Kaushal Kishore, Minister
of State for Housing and Urban
kept in silos; one H2O was divided Management within India’, Affairs presided over the valedictory
into multiple units. The creation ‘Innovative International Case session of DHARA 2023 – Driving
of the Jal Shakti Ministry in 2019 Studies for River Management’, Holistic Action for Urban Rivers.Mr.
was, perhaps, the first attempt ‘Strengthening the Agenda for G. Asok Kumar, Director General,
at breaking those silos,” he said, Urban River management’, ‘Youth NMCG, Mr. Vikram Kumar, Pune
adding, “Another important factor for Rivers’, ‘Experiences from Commissioner and Mr. Hitesh
is the encroachment of our water International River Cities’. Vaidya, Director, NIUA were also
bodies, which are the backbone present during the session.
of the traditional wisdom of Mr. Himansu Badoni, Executive
water conservation and rainwater Director, NMCG; Mr. S. In the early hours of Day 2 of
harvesting.” Vishwanath, Director, BIOME DHARA, ‘Ghat Par Yoga’ session
Solutions; Mr. Ramveer Tanwar, was organised on Sant Gyaneshwar
Mr. Kumar urged the municipal Pondman of India; Dr. Kartiki Naik, Ghat on Mulla Mutha River in
commissioners to manage their Urban Development Specialist, Pune. ‘Ghat Par Yoga’ is a novel
water resources well to see World Resources Institute; Mr. initiative under Namami Gange
tremendous growth in health, Gaurav Anand, Swacchta Pukare, Programme aimed at mobilizing
economy and overall well-being in Jamshedpur; Mr. Rajiv Ranjan people to use ghats along Ganga
their jurisdictions and add value to Mishra, Chief Advisor, NIUA; Col. and its tributaries for beneficial and
their cities. “NMCG has taken a Andy Pannier, Secretary, Mississippi recreational activities such as Yoga.
lot of initiatives like making Urban River Commission, USA; Ms.
River Management Plans, Thesis Martina Bukard, Programme Delivering the valedictory address,
Competition etc. to develop models Director, GIZ, Germany; Dr. Harry Mr. Kaushal Kishore, Minister
for water as a development resource Virahsawmy, Head of Urban Water, of State for Housing and Urban
and RCA is certainly one of the most Alluvium Consulting, Australia; Affairs expressed his happiness that
important steps in the direction of Dr. Anitha Sharma, Counsellar for member-cities of RCA have gone
effective urban water management,” Water and Urban Development, up from 30 to 107 and noted that
he said, adding, “Water sector is a Embassy of Denmark; Dr. Srinivas these 107 cities are connected with
niche area and good work done will Chokkakula, Ministry of Jal Shakti 72 rivers.
pave the way towards an efficient
water management and make India
water secure.” He ended his address
by expressing hope that the unique
ideas and solutions presented in the
deliberations will be used by the city
planners with DHARA becoming
rain stream that can help make India
a river-friendly country.

DAY 1

DHARA 2023 saw sessions on
‘Innovative Examples of River

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