NIT Warangal To Lead Krishna River Rejuvenation Plan

The framework for the study was presented on Saturday by Prof. N.V. Umamahesh of the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Warangal. The project, modelled on the Union government’s ‘Namami Gange’ programme, is planned for implementation over a three-year period.

Senior officials from the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) and the Commissioner and Director of Municipal Administration (CDMA) attended the presentation.

According to the proposed framework, the project will begin with a detailed condition assessment to identify pollution hotspots and evaluate water quality in the Krishna river system.

This will be followed by the preparation of engineering and biological interventions to address pollution sources. The final phase will focus on creating a long-term management plan to maintain the river’s ecological health.

Prof. Umamahesh said advanced Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping and hydrological modelling would be used to identify points where industrial effluents and domestic sewage enter the river.

He said the study would adopt an Integrated River Basin Management approach, examining not only the main course of the Krishna river but also its tributaries to assess water flow, ecological health and pollution sources across the entire basin.

The proposed plan includes both engineering and nature-based solutions. Engineering measures would focus on constructing sewage treatment plants and improving drainage infrastructure to prevent untreated waste from entering the river.

Biological measures would include afforestation along riverbanks and restoration of wetlands to act as natural filters for agricultural and urban runoff.