TOI River Dialogues 2025: Experts chart roadmap for water sustainability
The TOI River Dialogues 2025 concluded on Monday in Lucknow, bringing together experts, policymakers, community leaders, and citizens for discussions on river rejuvenation and sustainable water management in Uttar Pradesh, with a special focus on Maha Kumbh 2025.
Through dynamic panels, policymaker dialogues, and interactive sessions, the event delves into global
river restoration
models, CSR contributions, initiatives like Namami Gange, community-led conservation efforts, and the development of
sustainable infrastructure
.
In the opening address, Mr. Pravin Kumar, Resident Editor, Times of India, Lucknow, said, "Rivers have given birth to civilisations, but unfortunately, they now face threats from us. The course correction must come from us, and fortunately, we have arrived in time to acknowledge that the rampant abuse of rivers must stop for our own good."
Shri Brajesh Pathak, deputy chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, in his keynote address, said, "Since 2014, initiatives like Namami Gange have worked to restore maa Ganga's purity. During the Maha Kumbh, we ensured she was fit not just for bathing, but also for achman."
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The panel discussion titled "Reviving our rivers: The road to sustainability and the legacy of Maha Kumbh 2025" featured key experts. Ajay Tripathi, IAS, additional director of the Urban Development Department, said, "The sustainability of the Ganga is only possible when we become mindful of our responsibilities. It's not enough to leave everything to government departments; only then can we maintain the river's purity."
Speaking about the broader challenges impacting the Ganga's health, Raman Kant, president of Bhartiya Nadi Parishad and Riverman of India, emphasised the urgent need to focus on smaller rivers and groundwater levels. He said, "Ganga's tributaries are shrinking because the water table is falling. As a result, smaller rivers are no longer able to feed the Ganga. That's why, along with protecting the Ganga, we must also focus on reviving our smaller rivers."
You can watch the full discussion at TOI River Dialogues
here
.
The agenda of discussion for Panel 2 was "Leveraging Public-Private Partnerships For Clean Rivers: Innovation, Investment, and Sustainable Impact."
Dr Pritam Ranjan of IIM Indore suggested that a water management programme could help mitigate an impending water crisis. Ranjan said, "IIM Indore is one of the institutes that has something called rural engagement programme. What we do is, we go to different villages around India, particularly Madhya Pradesh... Every year, more than 500 of our students go to these villages. They give them (villagers) training in terms of their livelihood, small businesses and so on."
In a fireside chat moderated by Shailvee Sharda, assistant editor, The Times of India, Shri Anurag Srivastava, additional chief secretary, Department of Namami Gange and Rural Water Supply, Government of Uttar Pradesh, outlined key strategies for ensuring river health and resilience.
Srivastava stressed the urgent need for a comprehensive and dynamic policy framework to meet the evolving challenges in river rejuvenation. "The increasing dynamism in environmental and urban pressures demands a flexible but firm response," he said, adding that microanalysis and technological innovations are critical. "We are using drones and focusing on total sewerage tapping to cut pollution at the source," he pointed out.
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