Urban Adda 2025: Panel bats for urgent dialogue on urban water crisis

Hindustan Times

06-06-2025

New Delhi: On the final day of Urban Adda 2025—a three-day conclave convened by the Raahgiri Foundation in collaboration with the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), Gurujal, and Nagarro—a thought-provoking panel titled, 'Imagining Water Secure Cities' placed the spotlight firmly on India's urban water emergency.
Held on World Environment Day, the session served as both a call to action and a showcase of innovation amid worsening water stress across India's expanding cities.
The panel, moderated by urban affairs specialist Vandana Menon, brought together leading voices in governance, community action, corporate innovation, and creative media. Speakers included Archana Verma, Additional Secretary of the National Water Mission; Maulik Sisodia of Tarun Bharat Sangh; Avinash Mishra of CII and former advisor to NITI Aayog; and award-winning filmmaker Nila Madhab Panda.
The conversation explored what it means for cities to become 'water secure' and how to shift from consumption-driven systems to those rooted in conservation and stewardship.
The panelists collectively emphasised that water sustainability isn't merely a policy issue—it is a cultural, social, and infrastructural challenge requiring deep citizen engagement.
During the session, a Rainwater Harvesting Calculator was launched, offering urban residents and developers a real-time tool to assess and adopt water recharge solutions. This innovative step marked a pragmatic leap toward building climate-resilient infrastructure in Indian cities.
The urgency of the discussion found resonance in the context of Gurugram, a city emblematic of India's water crisis. Despite being one of the wealthiest districts in Haryana, Gurugram struggles with groundwater depletion, unchecked urbanisation, and broken stormwater systems. Residents routinely depend on private tankers for water, while encroachments on natural water bodies have worsened flood risks during monsoons. Government efforts to revive bundhs and enforce groundwater harvesting rules have seen limited success due to lax implementation.
The day's sessions closed with an emphatic plenary by Haryana's Environment and Forest Minister, Rao Narbir Singh. Speaking to a packed audience, Singh called for a cultural shift in sustainability, starting at the individual level.
'We have to stop blaming governments and start taking ownership,' he said. Using his own family as an example, Singh said he had opted for digital invitations for both his children's weddings. 'Not a single card was printed. That's how simple the change can be,' he added.
Calling single-use plastic the 'scourge of modern living,' Singh urged for an immediate state-wide ban and encouraged citizens to adopt alternatives. He underscored the importance of intergenerational collaboration, urging elders to guide youth toward greener choices. 'Our future depends not on big speeches but on small, consistent actions,' he said.
As the panelists dispersed and attendees pledged greater environmental responsibility, one message stood clear: water-secure cities are not a distant dream but a collective commitment—beginning with today's choices.
Simultaneously, despite years of awareness drives and penalties announced by the state government, single-use plastic continues to flood Gurugram's markets. Street vendors, grocery stores, and even high-end delivery services are routinely seen flouting the norms.
Plastic waste clogs stormwater drains and chokes water bodies, further complicating water management and sanitation efforts. Residents and environmentalists have repeatedly flagged this issue, demanding stricter action and better alternatives.
Even in upscale sectors, residents spend thousands each week on water sourced through private tankers, many of which draw from illegal borewells. These tankers are not only expensive but often unregulated, raising serious questions about quality and health safety.
Officials from the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram admit that enforcement is weak, particularly in unauthorised colonies where tanker operators face little to no checks.
In Gurugram, the urgency of the discussion found particularly sharp resonance. Despite ongoing awareness campaigns, massive investment in infrastructure, and regulatory directives from multiple agencies, the city continues to face rampant misuse and commodification of water.
Every summer, hundreds of residential colonies fall prey to an entrenched water tanker mafia that thrives amid the city's chronic water shortages.