After the success of the first event in the series ‘Oorvani Change Network- Learning from the Doers’, part2 of the series focused on waterbody rejuvenation. On 30th August, 2025, we had three individuals from Chennai, Navi Mumbai and Pune share their stories of community building, scientific temper, and unwavering commitment to reviving our water bodies like rivers, lakes, and mangrove forests.
Mrinal from Jeevitnadi Living River Foundation, Pune, highlighted the foundation’s work to protect the Mula-Mutha River. Their approach is rooted in fostering a scientific temperament among citizens, addressing the lack of awareness about water sources and destinations. Jeevit Nadi organises river walks, develops river curricula for schools and colleges, monitors water quality, and runs ‘adopt a stretch’ programmes.
Despite government policies often having gaps in freshwater ecosystem management, they collaborate with over 60 organizations under the Pune River Revival consortium, engaging civic authorities and advocating for proper drainage and water cleaning instead of river concretization. Their wetland restoration project has been internationally recognized.
Sankar from the Keezhkattalai Lake group, Chennai, shared his personal motivation, spurred by the devastating 2015 Chennai floods. Focusing on South Chennai, he formed a federation of multiple local associations to amplify their voice. Utilizing RTI (Right to Information) requests to obtain crucial maps, they understood flood patterns and encroachments.
Their persistent efforts, including roadblocking protests and engaging with government officials and political representatives, led to significant achievements. Following these efforts, the government constructed cut-and-cover drains, cleared the encroachments, took up de-silting of canals, and built retaining walls. These actions reduced the time taken for rainwater to drain from two weeks to just 12-24 hours.
Read more at Floods, faith, and civic action: Two Chennai lakes, one struggle for survival
Dharmesh Barai, founder of Environment Life Foundation in Navi Mumbai, captivated the audience with his ‘Mangrove Soldiers’ programme. He focuses on protecting the crucial mangrove ecosystems that serve as a natural barrier for coastal cities. This commitment has mobilized over 1 lakh volunteers who have removed over 1,000 tons of trash from Navi Mumbai’s coastal belt.
They combat pollution from various sources, including plastics, medical waste, and religious debris, which choke the mangroves’ unique root systems. Their work has successfully restored habitats for crabs, mudflats, and flamingos, earning them a Water Hero award. Dharmesh highlighted the constant challenge of new dumping and land encroachment, stressing the need for citizen alertness and constant monitoring.
Read about them at Saving Navi Mumbai’s mangroves, one week at a time, for over 150 weeks
Learning about these initiatives not only inspired the audience to get involved, with requests for ways to get connected, but we at Oorvani too had so much to learn about civic ecosystems!