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Government of India
Government of India
About the Event
An innovative session titled “River Cities Reimagined: Climate Smart and Basin Sensitive Urban Development” was co-convened at World Water Week in Stockholm by GIZ India, the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), and the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA).
The session drew strong participation and interest, reflecting the growing global relevance of river-centric urban planning. While cities have historically relied on rivers for sustenance, unchecked urbanisation has degraded these ecosystems. As climate impacts intensify, the urgency to restore and reimagine city-river relationships becomes critical.
The session was hosted by Dr. Victor Shinde, Head, Water & Environment Vertical, NIUA, and featured an opening presentation by Laura Sustersic (GIZ India), followed by a keynote address by Sh. Rajeev Kumar Mital, Director General, NMCG. A high-level panel discussion, moderated by Laura Sustersic and Sh. Rajiv Ranjan Mishra (Chief Advisor, W&E vertical, NIUA) explored the interlinkages between basin-level planning and city-level action.
Global perspectives were shared from the Rhine, Danube, and Ganga basins. Miriam Haritz (President, ICPR) highlighted governance mechanisms and advocated for collaboration among River Basin Organisations. Birgit Vogel (Executive Secretary, ICPDR) outlined institutional coordination strategies, thematic expert groups, and experiences with pollution abatement and urban flooding. Sh. Rajeev Kumar Mital shared insights on river city planning, integration with basin management, and institutional learnings from India’s Ganga basin. Sumila Gulyani (Water Practice Head, South Asia, World Bank) reaffirmed support for basin-based approaches and the development of Urban River Management Plans across Indian cities.
The session also featured voices from young professionals. Vandana Yadav (GIZ India) presented efforts to align hydrological and administrative boundaries through District Ganga Plans. Anna Brittas (NIUA) discussed the importance of successful academic engagement and gave the example of the national Student Thesis Competition hosted annually.
Sh. Nalin Kumar Srivastava, DG, NMCG, concluded the session by talking about the importance of the River Cities Alliance in India, which was followed by closing remarks by Sh. Dheeraj Joshi, Director, NMCG.
Key Speakers
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(+91-11) 24643284/ 24617517 (ext. 214)
urvers@niua.org
