Pune: A series of conservation activities and a heritage walk with students and other participants along the Mula-Mutha river system marked Jeevitnadi Living River Foundation’s world rivers day programme on Sunday.“The idea is to help people understand the river as an ecosystem and not simply as a water channel. Once people physically come to the river, they understand what is actually there and what is required, rather than deciding what they want the river to be,” said Shailaja Deshpande, founder-director, Jeevitnadi.The heritage walk at Siddheshwar Ghat traced the origin and age of the river, and how the evolution of the Mula-Mutha has shaped Pune’s growth over time. Parallel walks were held at the Ram-Mula confluence and at Vitthalwadi, where experts and volunteers guided participants through the river’s history, ecology, and the challenges it faces today.Student participation has become a significant part of the approach. The foundation’s year-long river curriculum is associated with seven city schools and has reached more than 1,500 students. Students in Classes VI to VIII attend monthly sessions, including nine indoor sessions and a field visit, with each immersive session lasting two hours.“Students learn through direct observation, scientific evidence and documentation. They look at what existed earlier, what remains and what would actually be required to restore it,” Deshpande said.College students also participate in river walks and conservation projects. “Architecture students have worked on spring boxes and ways of protecting groundwater springs. While many colleges have Green Clubs, some also have River Clubs, members of which participate in conservation efforts,” said Shubha Kulkarni, volunteer with Jeevitnadi. “The programme also brings students face-to-face with the consequences of pollution,” Kulkarni added.The foundation’s Adopt a Stretch initiative has now completed nine years. People adopt geographically defined stretches and work there every week or fortnight, going beyond clean-ups to biodiversity mapping, water-quality monitoring, groundwater-spring restoration and documenting changes to the ecosystem.“We are there on different river banks in Pune every Saturday and Sunday morning, throughout the year. on average, 10 to 15 citizens come on regular days, while special activities can bring 50 to 100 people,” said Deshpande.At Vitthalwadi, the initiative has helped restore a groundwater spring and create a wetland in an urban river stretch.During a recent activity, girls from a nearby slum settlement helped remove idols from the river. “River conservation cannot remain an awareness exercise. The connection has to translate into people spending time at the river, understanding it and taking responsibility for a stretch,” Deshpande said.
