‘Varun Mitra': Pune residents do their bit to aid govt agencies get local rainfall data for flood management, research
An act of curiosity by an individual led to a network of enthusiasts to measure rainfall in their locality under `Varun Mitra'. This has now catapulted into a movement that is being used as a resource to manage flood situations, conduct research activity, and plan basic infrastructure development in a bid to mitigate the problems due to rain, primarily in Pune city.
Forty-seven enthusiasts are part of the `Varun Mitra' network, that includes housewives, students, doctors, professors, engineers, and IT professionals. Every member measures the rainfall in their locality through a standard manual rain gauge and the collected data is shared with various government organisations and agencies for their respective use.
Those availing the rainfall data include the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC), the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), and the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC).
'I used to follow the Advanced Centre for Water Resource Development and Management (ACWADAM) and attend lectures by experts. I realised they were struggling for the rainfall data required for research. I was also curious about the rainfall in my locality, so I decided to make a manual rain gauge and installed it on my terrace to measure rainfall in my locality in Bavdhan,' said civil engineer Abhijit Gandhi.
He said this two-month rainfall data was then matched with groundwater data collected by ACWADAM, and it turned out to be correlating and useful for research. 'I, along with ACWADAM, decided to involve enthusiasts. So, during the Covid-19 lockdown, I appealed on social media to citizens to participate in the initiative and got a good response. ACWADAM supplied standard manual gauge and I made a video on how to use the equipment which were sent to participants,' said Gandhi, adding the number has been increasing since then, with 30 after the appeal during Covid.
Currently, there are 47 participants measuring localised rainfall every day, and 38 of them are in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. The remaining are in other parts of Maharashtra, such as Bhor, Tasgaon in Sangli, Hatkangale in Kolhapur, Dapoli in Konkan, Sambhajinagar, and Nashik.
Incidentally, the data collected by 'Varun Mitra' has been correlating with the groundwater level in the city. 'The rainfall data matched with changing groundwater level readings. This has helped ACWADAM in mapping aquifers in the city. The localised rainfall data also helped us in various groundwater recharging projects undertaken by ACWADAM in the city,' said Himanshu Kulkarni of ACWADAM, co-founder of the NGO working in the groundwater sector in urban and rural areas.
The ACWADAM procured standard rainwater gauges worth Rs 3,000 each and provided them to the volunteers of 'Varun Mitra'. Gandhi said it is the sincere volunteers of the team which works on every monsoon that it has become a successful initiative and is applauded.
'Sunita Khare, a cancer patient, of Mahatma Society, even during her treatment days, continued to collect and send rainfall data from her area every day. This dedication of volunteers has made the initiative a success,' he said.
Gandhi collects the 8.30 am data every day from Varun Mitra and compiles it. 'The IMD officials have also praised our initiative, and the Indian Meteorological Society felicitated us and gave certificates for our work. 'This is the first-of-its-kind rainfall measurement initiative with public participation, which has been going on for the past four years,' he added.
'CDAC also started taking our data from last year for their research work. The NDRF subscribes to our data for its use. Similarly, the Pune Municipal Corporation and PCMC have started taking data,' said Gandhi, adding that the timely data from Varun Mitra is useful for the disaster management team to issue alerts in advance to localities living in low-lying areas where the water flows.
PMC Disaster Management Officer Ganesh Sonune said Varun Mitra is very handy for us in initiating relief and rescue operations during heavy rainfall. 'The IMD has few rain measuring machines in the city, but the rainfall varies in different areas. The localised data, which is only with Varun Mitra, is used for disaster management and in the long run will help in the construction of a stormwater drainage facility in the city with a larger size where the trend is of heavy rainfall and a normal size in areas with less rainfall,' he said.
Gandhi said those in cities don't need the rainfall data except to analyse the possible traffic situation, but the localised data is very useful in rural areas. 'The IMD has limitations in installing rainfall measuring equipment. The farmers or their children use standard manual rain gauge in their farms then they can get measure of rain and pattern to decide on their crop and produce,' he said adding the Varun Mitra is not merely collecting localised rainfall data but also discussing the kind of clouds in their area to make rough predictions of the kind of rainfall in their area.
Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, Pune. He writes on Infrastructure, Politics, Civic issues, Sustainable Development and related stuff. He is a trekker and a sports enthusiast.
Ajay has written research articles on the Conservancy staff that created a nationwide impact in framing policy to improve the condition of workers handling waste.
Ajay has been consistently writing on politics and infrastructure. He brought to light the lack of basic infrastructure of school and hospital in the hometown of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde even as two private helipads were developed by the leader who mostly commutes from Mumbai to Satara in helicopter.
Ajay has been reporting on sustainable development initiatives that protects the environment while ensuring infrastructure development. ... Read More
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