Pune Launches ‘Project Jal Mulya’ to Tackle Water Challenges

In an ambitious move aimed at enhancing water sustainability, the Pune Metropolitan Region (PMR) has initiated ‘Project Jal Mulya’. This innovative project brings together experts from diverse fields to perform an in-depth economic assessment of water resources in Pune, focusing on availability, distribution, and consumption patterns.

“Project Jal Mulya” is a joint initiative by the Pune International Centre (PIC), the Centre for Sustainable Development at the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, and the Pune Knowledge Cluster, along with other stakeholders. The project aims to address the difference between public perceptions of water costs and the actual expenses involved, which include hidden economic externalities. This year-long effort will seek to bring awareness and clarity to the true cost and value of water, and its sustainable management for the future.

During a recent press conference, Dinanath Kholkar from PIC explained the objectives of a new project. According to Kholkar, water supply and treatment initiatives often face financial losses due to inadequate revenue generation and a lack of enforcement of user charges. He highlighted that the project will test the hypothesis that the public underestimates the true cost of water, which includes treatment, distribution, and wastewater management.