New Delhi, Dec 24: A national conference on 'Restoring the Health of Rivers and Water Bodies,' organised by the Nature Care Initiative (NCI), was held at the Constitution Club on Saturday, underscoring the vital role of public participation in environmental conservation.
Addressing the gathering as chief guest, Rajya Sabha MP Sujit Kumar said the revival of rivers and water bodies cannot be achieved through government action alone.
“Community ownership is essential,” he said, adding that meaningful change must begin at the household level through environmentally responsible lifestyles. “Every small effort by citizens contributes to a larger transformation,” he observed.
Echoing these views, Prof. Dinabandhu Sahoo, Head of the Department of Botany at Delhi University, stressed that public engagement is indispensable for resolving environmental challenges. Referring to the substantial investment in the Ganga-Yamuna Action Plan, he noted that despite the expenditure, the task of restoring the rivers remains unfinished. He urged citizens to treat the issue as their own and actively participate in finding solutions. Prof. Sahoo also advocated nature-based solutions to address Delhi’s escalating pollution crisis.
Soumyajeet Pani, Advocate, Supreme Court of India, highlighted the importance of community involvement across urban landscapes, from small towns to metropolitan cities. Ashish Gupta, President of the South Asia Climate Change Journalists’ Forum, emphasised the need for river restoration through a blend of technology, policy convergence, and sustained public engagement.
In a technical session titled 'Community Participation in Cleaning Rivers and Water Bodies' Sachin Gupta, Director of YSS Foundation; Dr. Sanjukta Sahu, Head of the Department of Civil Engineering at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Bhubaneswar; and Dr. Dharmendra Kumar, Assistant Professor at Miranda House, Delhi University, outlined a comprehensive roadmap for citizen-led environmental action.
During the event, Prof. Dinabandhu Sahoo was conferred the Nature Care Award for Nature-Based Solutions, 2025. The Nature Care Sustainability Award, 2025, was presented to Sachin Gupta, Dr. Dharmendra Kumar and Dr. Sanjukta Sahoo.
