Do you think Indian cities must become 'sponge cities'?.

  • Sponge cities are urban areas with abundant natural areas such as trees, lakes and parks – or other good designs intended to absorb rain and prevent flooding.
  • Reduces urban heat island effect and improve ecological environment and biodiversity.
  • It absorbs and captures rain water and utilizes it to reduce floods.
  • Rain water harvested can be reused for irrigation and home use.
  • Requirements for sponge city-
    • Bioswales are channels designed to allow passage for stormwater runoff while removing debris and pollution.
    • Continuous open green spaces, interconnected waterways, channels and ponds across different regions.
    • Green roofs that can retain rainwater and naturally filters it before being recycled or released into the ground.
    • Construction of bio-swales and bio-retention systems, porous roads and pavements, drainage systems to allow passing water into ground.

In India, there is a need of Sponge cities because,

  1. Urban flooding has become recurring phenomenon in Indian metros.
  2. India’s Land policy has not been effective in managing or controlling the recurrence of major floods in urban areas.
  3. Urban cities lack proper drainage network.
  4. Concrete structures in urban cities are causing water wastage.

Sponge Cities Mission can be delivered along with:

  • AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation).
  • HRIDAY (National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojna)
  • Smart Cities Mission

Some advantages of Sponge Cities Mission in India are as follows:

  1. Every inch of rainwater can be captured, absorbed, and reused.
  2. Urban farms and gardens can be recharged with the help of rainwater.
  3. Water saved by sponge cities can replace drinking water.
  4. Open green spaces and interconnected waterways can be developed in urban areas.
  5. Waterways, channels, and ponds across a sponge city can automatically absorb rainwater. The Sponge Cities Mission in India will eliminate floods in urban areas.


POSTED ON 16-12-2022 BY ADMIN
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