Pratik Korde’s scientific contributions

The scope of the study revolved around three basic questions. The First being estimation of the quantities of groundwater extracted in the city of Pune, say on an annual basis, while the second question was more specific in terms of the layout of Pune’s aquifers and their characteristics. The 2019 report focused on these two questions, while this report also brings the third, most important component, into focus, mainly, the basis for the planning, management, and governance of groundwater in Pune city. The report also includes short narratives of certain decisions and actions culminating from the earlier version of the report and suggests certain key aspects of the way forward.

Springs are points on the surface of the earth through which groundwater emerges and flows. This water is then used as the main source of drinking and domestic purposes in many areas, it also plays a vital role in keeping the river alive and replenishment of riverine ecosystem by contributing in the form of base flows or in the form of discharging water to the streams. It also forms the main source of irrigation water in many parts of the country. Traditionally springs were and at a few places still are considered sacred and they form a major cultural pivot upon which the entire community livelihood is based upon. In Pune city number of springs discharges water in Rivers and tributaries like Ramnadi, Devnadi, and Mula-Mutha rivers. Due to rapid and inevitable urbanization, many such discharge points of Spring near river stretch and many other places in the city are disturbed due to man-made activity which blocks spring water from discharging into the river and onto the surface. Due to large quantum of constructions (maybe for roads, buildings, bridges, etc.) across the city, which removes aquifer material (rock strata), creating a blockage in the natural groundwater flow or sometimes completely destruction of natural resources posing reduction in natural availability of groundwater. Apart from this, the groundwater water quality is deteriorating due to contamination from leaking drainage lines and sewers resulting in degradation of aquifers and ultimately hampering the water quality of springs. The current report comprises readings and observations that serve the importance of securing and maintaining springs at different locations near Ganesh Ghat on MUla river, Pune

Today almost all cities in India are largely dependent upon on groundwater. The extractable water found below the ground within the rock (i.e. within Aquifer) is simply called ground water. We are very much aware the situation of water scarcity in large cities through various ways of broadcasting media especially during summer period. Apart from deficit period, we are least bothered about this groundwater resource from where we are extracting water but over a few centuries even during non-monsoon period we are using groundwater without much of attention for this recharge due to shortage in water supply by government authority and many more reasons. Pune city is not exception for this. Over the few decades the rainfall hasn’t been changed significantly in the Pune city, but there is exponential growth in constructions of roads, buildings, private business and industrial infrastructural area etc. resulting in decrease in direct exposure to infiltration of rains which is primarily affecting recharge to aquifers and increase in surface runoff. Due to shortage of supply within and periphery of pune city resident of pune city turned towards abstracting water from aquifer by means of borewells and dug wells to cater day to day needs. To manage and efficient use of surface water with ground water, making policy for groundwater regulation, we need comprehensive data on usages of water that we can built through public participation by making them aware the importance it. The data of how much groundwater is abstracting and how many residents are abstracting groundwater from aquifers of Pune city is unavailable, therefore to establish relationship between aquifer recharge, volume of ground water abstracting from aquifers of pune city and its impact on aquifer and springs in and around pune city is a challenge. ACWADAM’s main objective is to map the resources within the city and estimating its recharge and draft through people’s participation thereby we can conjunctively or standalone use available water sources efficiently to cater increasing water demand and sustain in drought periods. The data will also help in designing and reframing existing policy in more practical way.