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HomeSabarmati Stakeholders Forum (SSF)Meeting on Ahmedabad Water Scenario: AMC’s Efforts and People’s RoleDate : 27 December, 2006 - WednesdayVenue : Conference Hall, VIKSAT Time : 11.00 a.m.- 1.00 p.m.
VIKSAT has evolved the Sabarmati Stakeholders Forum (SSF) since 1999 to provide a platform for stakeholders to exchange knowledge, information, and experiences and share expertise for efficient management of Sabarmati water. It aims at efficient, equitable and sustainable management of water resources in the Sabarmati River Basin. In this process, AMC is a major contributor and a valuable stakeholder. Under SSF, three groups namely, Industry Core Group, Agriculture Core Group and Urban Core Group are constituted dealing with three major uses of water. AMC also has been an active member in the Urban as well as Industrial Core Group meetings.
The Forum recognises that AMC has been conceiving and implementing noteworthy, innovative projects to augment water supply to the city. However, in terms of information, a considerable proportion of people is unaware of AMC’s efforts. We believe that if this gap can be addressed, there will be more participation and cooperation from the citizens to AMC’s efforts. They would contribute to proper use of water avoiding wastage. More importantly, citizens would also appreciate difficulties faced by AMC in meeting with water needs of the city.
Mr. H. K. Patel, Officer on Special Duty, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has kindly consented to deliver a talk on the subject. The talk will be followed by discussions. 21 December, 2006 Press Note on Meeting of Ahmedabad Water Scenario: AMC’s Efforts and People’s Role
Sabarmati Stakeholders Forum initiated by VIKSAT in 1998, Nehru Foundation for Development, Thaltej Tekra, organized an interactive meeting of AMC Officers (water supply) with stakeholders such as the citizens, architects, NGOs and industry representatives from Naroda, Odhav and Vatva. Shri Srinivas Mudrakartha, Director, VIKSAT welcomed the participants. Shri KH Pujara of AMC gave an interesting presentation describing AMC’s efforts towards supplying adequate water at least 2 to 2.5 hours everyday. This, he said, is planned to be achieved by tapping various sources such as river (base) flow from the French wells, surface water from Raska weir and now the Narmada canal water. Tapping borewells will be the last priority as we need to conserve the precious ground water. At the rate of 140-150 litres water per capita per day, AMC at present is supplying 130-150 million gallons per day with a leakage factor of about 20%. The quality of this water is monitored by drawing on-line samples everyday. The quality is maintained at pH 8.2, hardness 100mg/liter and TDS 145 mg/l. He also shared with the audience AMC’s plans for meeting the water demands during 2011 and 2021.
While talking about the cost of supplying water to the citizens, Shri Pujara informed that AMC is incurring 70 paisa per kilolitre for the Narmada water against which they are charging just 35 paise. This water costs AMC Rs.4.50 per kilolitre after treatment. AMC further invests Rs. 3.50 per kilolitre towards continuous water infrastructure costs. AMC has been using 90 bore wells at present against 350 prior to Raska Weir and Narmada waters. It has planned to completely stop use of bore wells by the year 2007-08. Since last 6 years, AMC has been saving around Rs.15 crores on energy expenses by using surface water.
Mr. Srinivas Mudrakartha, Director, VIKSAT explained the objectives of the forum as facilitating a common forum for stakeholders to come together and share their views, concerns, experiences, knowledge and expertise for addressing water problems in an innovative way. He emphasized the need for interaction of government agencies concerned with water with other stakeholders such as AMC & AUDA as imperative. He explained how VIKSAT has addressed the issue of clogging in artificial recharge systems on village tanks and offered the services of the forum both technically and socially to the proposed rejuvenation of water tanks project of AMC. He emphasized that external sourcing of water alone can never solve the problem sustainably. Therefore, tanks recharge will help people supplement and complement AMC supply. It is important that while designing the lake rejuvenation, the natural drainage is not cut off as has happened in the case of Vastrapur lake.
Prof. Arvind J. Talati, renowned Architect – Planner stressed the need for creating a water monitoring cell of members drawn from the Sabarmati Forum involving academicians and experts for benefiting from their knowledge and experience while designing new projects. The other points emerged were related to the inadequate water storage facility for both, raw water as well as treated water. This should be enhanced at the earliest possible to avoid serious shortage during emergency. The citizens are required to be educated that the water is a precious natural resource and it costs to tap this resource. And therefore, citizens should remain prepared to pay for the water to capacitate AMC for further development of the infrastructure to meet increasing demand as well as satisfactory services to the citizens. Citizens from societies, NGO representatives from PRAVAH, Paryavaran Mitra, CERC, SAHYOG, Vatva and Odhav CETPs also presented their local issues. AMC Special City Engineer Shri Tarun Lad and Additional City Engineer Shri V.B. Shah also participated in the meeting and promised their full support to solving the water problems through the Forum. 28-12-2006 |
