How nature's gift turned into a man-made water disaster in Gujarat

By Mahesh Pandya*  

Rain is one of nature's greatest gifts. Yet, through years of poor planning and mismanagement, we have transformed this blessing into an artificial urban disaster.

For the past fifteen years, Gujarat has consistently received above-average rainfall, often exceeding 100 percent of the long-term average. The specter of drought has largely receded into history. Ironically, despite abundant rainfall and the availability of Narmada waters, groundwater levels continue to decline. Even today, 58 talukas in Gujarat remain classified as "dark zones" because of severe groundwater depletion.

The problem is not the absence of water; it is the absence of sound water governance.

The 2006 Surat floods remain one of Gujarat's most painful reminders of this reality. Between August 7 and 10, nearly 80 percent of Surat city was submerged after massive quantities of water were suddenly released from the Ukai Dam into the Tapi River. While the state government classified the event as a natural disaster, reports by the People's Committee and the Surat Citizens Council Trust concluded that the catastrophe was largely the result of administrative mismanagement.

Nearly two decades later, little appears to have changed.

The recent flooding in Surat once again exposed the consequences of unchecked human encroachments. Natural creeks and drainage channels that once carried stormwater safely away have been blocked or built over. By obstructing nature's drainage network, we have effectively invited floods into our cities.

Vadodara's devastating floods on August 26, 2024, similarly exposed deep flaws in disaster preparedness and urban planning. Extensive encroachments along the Vishwamitri River had already prompted the National Green Tribunal to order the removal of illegal structures and the restoration of the river. Failure to implement those directives ultimately left the people of Vadodara to bear the consequences.

The floods in Banaskantha in 2017 also reflected systemic administrative failures. Water was allowed to accumulate until the Dantiwada Dam reached capacity before the gates were opened. A narrow siphon crossing beneath the Narmada Canal restricted flood flows, causing water to inundate villages and the canal itself. Matters worsened because canal gates downstream remained closed. The absence of coordination among government agencies turned a manageable situation into a major disaster.

Ahmedabad presents another troubling example. Despite its "Smart City" status, only a few hours of heavy rain are enough to expose serious deficiencies in drainage systems and urban infrastructure. Roads become rivers, traffic comes to a standstill, markets are flooded, and everyday life grinds to a halt. Public buses become trapped in waterlogged underpasses. Blocked sewers overflow into residential streets, increasing the risk of waterborne diseases.

Rain itself is not the problem. Rather, it has become a powerful indicator of the failure of urban planning and disaster preparedness in many so-called developed cities.

Ahmedabad is now facing an increasingly severe test of its urban resilience. The city has acquired an unfortunate reputation for its potholes and crumbling infrastructure. Persistent waterlogging reveals systemic weaknesses in drainage systems that are simply incapable of handling extreme rainfall events. Growing climate uncertainty demands a new generation of climate-resilient urban planning. Plastic waste blocking drains has only aggravated the crisis, underscoring the direct connection between poor solid waste management and urban flooding.

This is the moment for serious introspection.

Recurring urban floods and repeated disruptions to public services are not temporary inconveniences. They are warnings. Future-ready cities must invest in robust infrastructure, well-maintained drainage systems, and scientifically designed stormwater management networks.

When reservoirs across the state approach full capacity, dam operations must strictly follow established operating manuals. The delayed decisions to release water from major reservoirs, including the Sardar Sarovar and Kadana dams in September 2023, demonstrated the consequences of reactive rather than proactive management. While safeguarding dams is essential, authorities must simultaneously provide timely warnings and ensure preparedness in downstream communities. Such a human-centered approach to disaster management is critical for minimizing loss of life and property.

The principal causes of urban flooding are well known:

- Filling up lakes and wetlands to construct roads and buildings, thereby eliminating natural flood buffers.

- Encroachment upon floodplains, reducing the land's natural capacity to absorb excess water.

Poor water resource management and inadequate maintenance of drainage systems.

- Insufficient stormwater infrastructure that has failed to keep pace with rapid urbanization and population growth.

- Unplanned urban expansion that obstructs natural watercourses.

- Poor solid waste management, with plastic, cloth, leaves, and other debris blocking drains and stormwater pipelines.

- Excessive paving of urban surfaces under the banner of "dust-free smart cities," preventing rainwater from percolating into the ground and increasing surface runoff.

The Gujarat High Court has issued landmark directions for the protection and maintenance of lakes. In the Shailesh Shah vs. State of Gujarat judgment, delivered after clubbing together multiple public interest litigations, the Court directed the government to preserve all officially recorded lakes. Yet numerous cases involving illegal encroachments on lakes continue to reach the High Court.

Ironically, many lakes created under urban beautification projects fail to receive natural rainwater and must instead be filled with Narmada water. There are also widespread complaints that sewage is discharged into them. A striking example is Ahmedabad's so-called "Mini Kankaria" lake, which often remains dry while the adjacent GMDC grounds become waterlogged after rainfall. Urban planners have now coined a new term—"sponge ponds"—to store accumulated floodwater. The emergence of such terminology itself reflects the growing normalization of urban flooding.

Every major city in Gujarat requires a comprehensive review of its urban planning framework. Sewerage and drainage systems must be designed according to present and future population needs. Stormwater pipelines must be expanded and strengthened, and they must remain completely separate from sewerage networks.

Proceedings before the Gujarat High Court concerning Sabarmati River pollution revealed a startling fact: because Ahmedabad's sewerage network is inadequate for its population, sewage connections have been diverted into stormwater pipelines. While the city today has nearly eight million residents, its sewerage infrastructure is designed to serve only about 5.2 million people. This mismatch itself contributes significantly to urban flooding.

Existing regulations already mandate rooftop rainwater harvesting for large developments, but enforcement remains weak. Likewise, although sewage treatment plants are compulsory for large residential townships, building-use permissions are frequently granted without ensuring compliance. Strict enforcement of these regulations would not only reduce urban flooding but also help recharge groundwater. Equally important is the scientific interlinking and restoration of lakes as functional components of the urban water system.

To attribute urban flooding solely to global warming or climate change is only half the truth.

To a very large extent, urban flooding is a man-made disaster—created not by nature, but by our own neglect, poor planning, and failure to respect the natural systems that once protected us.

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*Senior environmentalist based in Ahmedabad; director, Paryavaran Mitra. A Gujarati version of this article was first published in "Navgujarat Samay"