On 14 July 2024, the Greater Visakhapatnam Citizens’ Forum, as a part of its regular “knowledge sessions”, organised a talk titled “Vizag’s Endangered Water Bodies and How Communities Can Save and Revive Them” at the Vizag Public Library. The speaker was Lokesh Sinram of the DHAN Foundation. Lokesh Sinram said that Visakhapatnam, renowned for its natural beauty and pleasant climate, holds a fascinating water ecosystem.
The Centre for Urban Water Resources at Dhan Foundation has meticulously decoded essential information about Vizag’s hydrology, compiling primary data on 179 water bodies within the city. He revealed that Visakhapatnam, in fact, is situated within five river basins. He said that their mapping efforts reveal an intricate hydrological network.
Notably, Vizag features a unique “springshed” ecosystem, characterized by numerous springs, locally known as “dhara” or “voota” in Telugu. Among these, Sethama Dhara and Mathava Dhara exemplify the city’s uniqueness. As Lokesh Sinram delved into these insights, he proposed a holistic approach for action planning, encouraging Vizag citizens to take responsibility for shaping the city’s water future.
Since 1998, Dhan Foundation has actively supported 33,000 vulnerable families across 157 slums in Vizag through Self-Help Groups (SHGs). He was certain that by incorporating water management into the city’s policy agenda, the quality of life of Vizag’s communities would improve dramatically. Such.