Under the IAdapt project, ICLEI South Asia, Solapur Zilla Parishad and Solapur Municipal Corporation (SMC) organised the 3rd RURBAN meeting in Solapur on the 6th of March, 2020.

The meeting was organised to deliver the outcomes of the project and handover of the pilot projects executed to conserve water resources in the catchment. In this meeting both rural (district) and urban stakeholders participated to discuss the overall achievements of the project and way forward for implementation of the Integrated catchment management plan prepared for Ekarukh lake micro catchment in Solapur.

In addition, there was an interactive session where the project team answered all the questions raised by participants on project activities and its relevance to the local water scenario.

Detailed discussion was carried out on the role of RURBAN platform after the closure of IAdapt project. Mr. Sachin Jadhav, District Program Manager – Swachh Bharat Mission agreed to take these initiatives forward through the Namami Chandrabhaga Project of state government to reduce pollution load on the river.

All the senior officials committed their support for maintenance of the pilot initiatives and replicate them at various locations. It was also proposed by the district water and sanitation mission cell to use the constructed wetland – one of the pilot project as a model site to showcase low cost treatment facility and include under regular capacity building activities of other villages in Solapur District.

Hon’ble Mayor of SMC Mrs. Srikanchana Yamman and Commissioner Mr. Deepak Taware appreciated the hydrological and climate modeling conducted under this project and committed to work further on the action plan provided in Integrated Catchment Management Plan to get funding from various schemes. They expressed their keenness for its on-ground implementation.

Hon’ble CEO of Zilla Parishad Solapur addressed the gathering about role of Zilla Parishad in rural water management and need of considering climate change in rural water schemes. He requested all the concerned departments to work together to implement principles of IUWM and IWRM in Solapur.