Blue Blood of Cities

Water and Urbanism in India

Ashwani KumarUrban Knowledge Network Asia (UKNA) Fellow

July 2, 2015

UKNA

Research secondment

Planning policies, practices, tools and mechanisms in

the Netherlands

in relation to integration of water system planning

and cities

Researcher

Ashwani Kumar

May – July , 2015

Mentors:

Professor Vincent Nadin

Professor Wil Zonneveld

City as living organism

• Urban Metabolism Theory

• German urbanist Hans Reichow (1948)

– ….. an organism is an autonomous individual, and that it has a definite

boundary and … specific size…..

– It contains differentiated parts but form and function are always linked.

– The whole organism is homeostatic, self-repairing and regulating toward a

dynamic balance

German urbanist Hans Reichow (1948) : ‘Organic city planning, architecture, and culture’

Presentation covers…..

• Natural Water Systems of India

– Introduction

– Story of Ganga River

– Cities and water system : a wide divide - Varanasi

– Emerging water challenges in cities of India

• Understand water systems in Netherlands

Natural Water Systems of India

India – ‘Land of Rivers’

• Indian civilization and culture

evolved on banks of rivers

• Indians worship rivers as a

form of Mother Goddess from

ancient times.

• Rivers have profound influence

on religious, economic, socio

cultural life of an Indian.

NameLength

(km)

Area

(sq.km.)Originates From Ends in

1. Indus 3100 3,21,290In Tibet Kalish

Range 5080 mts.

Arabian

sea

2. Ganga

(Bhagirati)2480 3,37,000 Gangothri

Bay of

Bengal

3. Godavari 1465 3,12,812 Nasik HillsBay of

Bengal

4. Krishna 1400 2,59,000

Near

Mahabaleshwar in

Maharashtra

Bay of

Bengal

5. Yamuna

(Jamuna)1370 3,59,000

Garhwall in

Yamunotri

Bay of

Bengal

6. Narmada 1312 98,796Amarkantak hill in

Madhya Pradesh

Arabian

sea

7. Mahanadi 858 1,41,600Amarkantak

Plateau

Bay of

Bengal

8. Kaveri(Dakshina Ganga"

or Ganges of the

south)

805 87,900 Hills of Coorg,

Karnataka

Bay of

Bengal

9. Brahmaputra 725 2,40,000 Lake ManasarovarBay of

Bengal

10.Tapti 724 65,145 BettulArabian

sea

Rivers of India

Rivers traditionally founded the spiritual, religious and

aesthetic philosophy of Hindu religion and Indians

Rivers are largest public spaces

Photos courtesy: www.walkthroughindia.com

Godavariwww.walkthroughindia.com

Shipra (Ujjain)

www.walkthroughindia.com

Ganga-Varanasiwww.walkthroughindia.com

Narmadawww.walkthroughindia.com

Yamuna

www.walkthroughindia.com

Rivers of India and Religion

But often turns into sorrow of land?

Ganga River Basin

ACCORDING TO POPULAR BELIEF, BATHING IN

“MOTHER GANGA” DISSOLVES ALL SINS, DRINKING

HER WATERS CURES ILLNESS, AND DYING ON HER

BANKS ENSURES FREEDOM FROM THE CYCLE OF

DEATH AND REBIRTH.

YET THERE REMAINS A PARADOX: WHILE GANGA IS

WORSHIPPED DEVOTEDLY, SHE IS ALSO EXPLOITED

WITHOUT REMORSE. MUCH OF HER WATER HAS

BEEN SIPHONED OFF FOR IRRIGATION, TOXIC

CHEMICALS ARE DUMPED INTO HER, AND DAMS

AND BARRAGES HAVE BEEN BUILT ON HER COURSE,

CAUSING IMMENSE DAMAGE.

GANGA IS IN DANGER OF DYING—BUT IF THE RIVER

DIES, WILL THE GODDESS DIE TOO?

Ganga River Basin

Ganga: A Journey Down the Ganges River , Julian Crandall Hollick

Ganges Basin : Setting

• Position: East longitudes 7330 and 890,

North longitudes 2230 and 3130.

• Length: 2,525 km

• Source: Gaumukh (Gangotri Glacier) at

4,000 km above MSL

• Basin Area: More than one million sq. km

• Average Rainfall: varies between 39 cm to

200 cm, with an average of 110 cm.

• Rivers: 14 rivers viz Batwa, Chambal,

Damodar, Gandak, Ganga, Ghagra, Gomti,

Hindon, Kali, Khan, Kosi, Kshipra,

Ramganga and Yamuna.

Source: www.moef.nic.in

Ganges Basin : Demography and Urbanisation

• Population Support: 43% of India’s

population (448.3 million as per 2001

census).

• States: 11 states

• Urban Centres:

– Largest cities of Delhi (13 million) and Kolkata

(10 million)

– Other 10 have population 1 - 5 million

– And another 15 cites having population 0.5 -

1 million

Source: www.moef.nic.in

• Delhi - Capital

• Agra – Tourism (Taj)

• Kanpur – Industrial

• Allahabad – Educations and

Administrative

• Varanasi – Religious

• Patna – Historical and Administrative

• Kolkata – Cultural and Delta

Ganges Basin: Biophysical Diversity

Ganga in its Stretches

More than 20 National

Parks, Wild life

Sanctuaries and costal

Ecosystems are thriving

in the basin

Ganga Basin : Ecology

Indiaendangered.com

Chambalsafari.com

Ganga Basin : Flood Plains

Economy and Infrastructure

Source: wikimedia

Tehri Dam @ Ganga Patna Bridge @ Ganga

Navigation @ Ganga Talchar Power Plant

Ganga: A Holy River

All is not well?

Source: Down to Earth

Cities requiring water….

• Increased damming

– Drinking, Irrigation

and Industrial

• Leaving very little for

the down stream

population,

agriculture and

ecology to survive.

Source: Indiannetzone.com

Cities are source of pollution?

Source: Indiannetzone.com

Unorganised

Organised

Ecological Damages..

Changing Physical Character…..

VARANASI – CITY OF HINDU RELIGION

BANARAS IS OLDER THAN HISTORY, OLDER THAN TRADITION, OLDER EVEN THAN LEGEND AND LOOKS

TWICE AS OLD AS ALL OF THEM PUT TOGETHER.

- Mark Twain

It is holiest of the seven sacred cities (Sapta Puri) in Hinduism and Jainism.

Hindus believe that death at Varanasi brings salvation.

It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and the oldest in India.

Source: Based on Urban Environment Studio – 2013 (FP=CEPT)

CITY GROWTH

Upstream

Downstream

Sanskrit University

Bharat Mata

Mandir

Banaras Hindu

University

Sarnath

Alamgir Masjid

Ram Nagar

Forest Land

Sand Bank

Kashi Vishvanath

TempleHarishchandra Ghat

Varuna River

Assi River

Sarnath

Untill 1930s 1970s 2010

To Airport

Source: Census 2011, Projection calculations based on decadal growth method

VARANASI - DEMOGRAPHY

Varanasi railway

station

Area- 70 sq. Km

Population – 1,435,113 (2011)

Density – 17986/sq.km. (180/ha)

Joint family structure still existing (Avg HH-7.3)

•Total no. of slums- 271

•Total population in slums -453,222 (32%)

•Average household size- 10

Source: Slum free city planning report,

published by Regional centre of urban and env. Studies, Hyderabad in 2009 For DUDA

No. of Tourists ( 2011) – 5,855,847

Peak time- October to March

Lean Time- April to September

VARANASI : URBAN FROM

Map Source: City development Plan, 2006

28Peripheral Expansion

New /Central city

City Core

Source: UEM – CEPT , 2013

VARANSI - LAND USE

Map Source: City Sanitation Plan,2011

About 60% Residential

Open and Agriculture

about 20%

Regions and Public

Institutions : 3-4%

Banaras Hindu

university :4%

Human – Natural Water Systems

Lakes, Ponds & Kunds

Ancient water bodies (1822)

Kunds have the Socio-religious importance as

well as function of rainwater collection and

ground water replenishment

No. of Kunds: 21

No. of water bodies: Above 118

Urban water bodies (existing)

Total no. of water bodies (boundary): 85

Total no. of Kunds -18 and 3 have been filled up for

development.

44 ponds were lost and other privatised.

WATER BODIES IN THE CITY

Water bodies

Durga Kund Suraj Kund

Laxmi Kund Ram Kund

Kurukshetra Talav Sankuldhara Pokhra

Pishachmochan Kund Iswargangi Pokhra

� Total No. of Ghats- 84

� Most Important Ghats

� Dashashwamedh,

� Manikarnika

� Harishchandra

� Raj

� Assi

Activities of Religious nature Mass Bathing

CremationIdol Immersion

Activities of Non-Religious nature

Source: Policy Document, The National Policy for

Urban Street Vendors 2009

Informal activities around the Varanasi

What the city takes from Ganga : Water for drinking

• 1982: Water supply from Ganga was established (33 mld)

• 1954: Ground water was added as source of drinking

• 1985: Ground water used increased more

• 2010: Total water supply if more than 200 mld

What the city release in Ganga : Wastes Liquid/solid

• Total sewage generated : 233mld

� Only part of city is served with sewerage network (30%)

• 100 year old sewers needing replacement

• Treatment capacity (90 MLD)

Source: Compiled from Water Component DPR doc, Jal Nigam, 2011

Population Source: Pas Project ppt, S.Bandhpadhay, 2011

Water Infrastructure

‘Varanasi’ represents

the typical story of use and/or misuse of river

in most of the river based cities in India

future plans and models for water systems in cities……

Regional Water System: Navigational Connectivity

Waterways will be developed by conserving rivers in India:

Minister Nitin Gadkari (http://economictimes.indiatimes.com)

@Patna

@Kolkata

Urban Planning Model : River Front Development

River Sabarmati, Ahmedabad (Gujarat)

@ Pradeep Sachdev

@ Studio Symbiosis @ Studio Symbiosis

Urban Scale Model : River Front Development

Ganga Rejuvenation

Interventions

• 1986-2000: GAP – I : 25 cities/towns; cost ~ 70 million

USD

• 2001 – GAP-II: Also tried in 1993/96; 95 cities/towns; cost

~ 300 million USD

– Wastewater treatment plants

– Water Quality monitoring

– Flood plain protection

– Awareness campaign

• 2008-09 : Ganga river given the status of National River

• 2009: National Ganga River Basin Authority

Other Initiatives includes

• Forming the River Basin Authority

• Water Storage and withdrawal Structures : Barrages,

• Watershed Development Programmes

• Interlinking of Rivers

• Closing the Gulf of Khambhat

• Waterways Development

National Ganga River Basin Authority (NBRA)

• Political Interfere

• Excessively Centralised

• Administrative delays

• Draws on Engineering solutions

• Funds spent on works is rather

slow and falls short of targets.

• Mention of Public consultation,

EIA and social appraisal are rarely

cause change in pre-determined

designs and remains customary

Global River Cleaning/Rejuvenation Programmes

National State Local/City

Wa

ter

(Dir

ect

Ma

nd

ate

)• Ministry of Water Resources; Ministry

of waterways� Central Water Commission

� Central Ground Water Board

� National Water Development Agency

� (National Institute of Hydrology)

� National Water Council

� National Water Board

� River Basin Authority

• Water

Resource

Department

• State Ground

Water Boards

• District

Collector or

Municipal

Corporation

En

vir

on

me

nt • Ministry of Environment, Forests and

Climate Change � Central Pollution Control Board

� Geological/Zoolgical /Botanical Survey

of India

� National Green Tribunal

• Dept. of

Environment

• State Pollution

Control Board

-

Urb

an

,

Pla

nn

ing

• Ministry of Urban Development

� Town and Country Planning

Organisation

� Central Public Works Department

� National Institute of Urban Affairs

• Dept. of Urban

Development

• Public Works

• Developme

nt Authority

or Municipal

Corporation

Water Related Organisations

National State Local/City

Infr

ast

ruct

ure

• Ministry of Surface

transport and Shipping,� National Waterways

Authority

� National Highway

Authority

• State Water Supply and

Sanitation Boards

• Dept. of Roads Transport

• Development

Authority

• Municipal

Corporation

Cu

ltu

re,

He

rita

ge

an

d S

oci

al

• Ministry of culture,

� Archaeological Survey

of India

• Ministry of Social Welfare

• Ministry of Tourism

• Dept. of Culture� State Archaeology

• Dept. of Tourism

• Municipal

corporation

Oth

ers

• Ministry of Rural

Development

• Ministry of Agriculture

� Indian Council of

Agriculture Research

and other Institutes

• Dept. of Agriculture � Irrigation Department

� Agriculture Universities

• Dept. of Rural

Development

• District

Collector

• Village

Panchayat

Water Related Organisations

• Cities in India traditionally dependent on water systems for religious, cultural

heritage pursuits; ecological balance or sustaining the local economy……

• River based cities in India, today are disconnected from water systems due to

larger economic targets, water resources demand and their persistent

degradation…..

• Myopic vision of city administrator and urban planners……

• Top-down driven approach of river rejuvenation interventions have limited

scope….

• More comprehensive and inclusive views could be possible as outcome of more

insightful research connected with field, people and nature…..

• Absence of resources and governance mechanism……

Summary of General State of Affairs

In case of India

LEARNINGS FROM NETHERLANDS

Big Question

What are possible integrated models for river conservation in urban context? …....

Study Formulation

AimThe research aims …..

to understand and draw learning’s from the Netherlands for managing

and integrating the natural water systems with the urban planning

Objectives

� a) to identify the approaches, policy instruments, mechanism and tools &

methods in Netherlands related to natural water systems

� b) to assess their potential for transformation to Indian Planning systems for

conservation and integration of natural waters with urban planning practices.

Ov

erv

iew

pra

ctic

es

in N

eth

erl

an

ds

Tools and

Methods

spatial planning

or

landuse/Physical

planning system

Natural

Water

Systems’

Plans and

Management

Tra

nsp

ose

Po

ten

tia

l

Instruments

and

Mechanisms

Customized

Tools,

Methods

Mechanisms

Planning

practices

National, Provincial,

City and Community

level

Technical

Institutional : Co-

ordination

Stakeholders

Negotiations

Public engagement,

appraisal and

consultation

Implementation,

Monitoring and

Maintenance

Regulatory and

Governance

Review of Institutional Framework and Practice: India

(Urban planning and Water sector)

Study Framework

Work (6 weeks)

� Literature and material Review� Environmental conservation policies/programmes

� their incorporation into Urban Planning practices

� Consultation� Experts

� Agencies (Cities)

� Compilation and Comparison� Institutions approaches

� Mechanism and Tools for water systems integration with urban plans

Working at Netherlands

Water Management in Netherlands

• Water is a culture in Netherlands…

• …and it is inherent in most of the decisions in cities related to infrastructure, planning and implementation

• National Level programmes– Flood Risk Management

– River Basin Plans

– Water Plan

– Delta Urbanism

– Room for River

Room for river Waal

Source: www.ruimtevoordewaal.nl

Water Plans - Spatial Plan - Water Boards

• Water plans are prepared at National, Province and City Level

• Water plans are integrated with the spatial plans

• Participation of ‘Water Boards’ in spatial and water plans bring a strong perspective on water

• ‘Water Boards’ are crucial in bridging the gap between the people and public authorities at all levels

Water Management in Urban Planning

• City level interventions– Watertoets

– Compensation for water

– Water Plazas

– Green Roof

– Water issue in City infrastructure Design

Case: Nesselande,

City Rotterdam

Map soured from: Rotterdam Climate Change Adaptation Strategies, Rotterdam Climate Initiatives , 2013

Policy Making Mechanism

• Visioning

• Dissemination and Consultation

• Policy Formulation/Legislative

Governance Mechanisms

• Institutional Co-ordination

mechanism

• Regulatory

• Conflict resolution

Participatory/consultation Mechanisms

- Vision making/Need Assessment

- Programme/Project Planning

- Dissemination

- Community Monitoring and

Feedback

Spatial Planning : Tools & Mechanisms

- Surveys and Mapping tools

- Resources Valuation

- Zoning

Typology of Mechanisms and Tools

National, Provincial, City and Community level

Technical Tools and Methods

• River Basin Modeling

• Event (Flood) Simulations

• Water Balance

• Water-tout

• Water Demand and Supply

• Water Allocation

Project Planning

Implementation, Monitoring and

Evaluation

Financial Management

• Investment Decision Tools :

Prioritisation and selection

• Pricing and Tariffs tools

• Cost recovery

• Compensation and Penalty

mechanism

National, Provincial, City and Community level

Typology of Mechanisms and Tools

Water and Urbanism? Water and Urbanism? Water and Urbanism? Water and Urbanism?

Water - Urbanism

Water

Navigation and

connectivity Culture,

religion and local

economy (Tourism/

recreation)

Multiple & Diverse use

of water (with 3R)

Sustainable hydrological

cycle/ regime

Quality water

infrastructure Planning and Design

Traditional /local

knowledge

Source: Based on www.NewUrbanism.org

Urbanism

Walkability

Connectivity

Mixed-Use & Diversity

Mixed Housing

Quality Architecture

& Urban Design

Traditional Neighbour-

hood Structure

Thankyou

Your comments and guidance are crucial for further research….

Ashwani KumarAssociate Professor,

Faculty of Planning, CEPT University, Ahmedabad – 380009; [INDIA]

Email: ashwani@cept.ac.in; ashwani_iitk03@yahoo.co.in