Nagavali River:The Lifeline of Eastern Ghats
The Nagavali River, also known as the Langulya, originates from the eastern slopes of the Eastern Ghats near Lakhbahal in the Kalahandi district of Odisha, India . Spanning approximately 256 kilometers, it traverses through the states of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, ultimately emptying into the Bay of Bengal near Kallepalli village in the Srikakulam district.
It serves as a crucial water source for agriculture, drinking water, and fishing activities in the regions it flows through . Towns like Rayagada and Srikakulam rely heavily on the Nagavali for their water needs.
Historically, the Nagavali River has held cultural and religious significance for the local populations, featuring in various local traditions and practices . However, in recent years, the river has been facing numerous environmental challenges.
Unregulated urbanization, industrial activities, and illegal sand mining have led to significant ecological degradation . Pollution from domestic sewage and industrial effluents has further exacerbated the river’s deteriorating health.
In response to these pressing issues, organizations like Earth5R have initiated the BlueCities model, aiming to restore and rejuvenate urban rivers through community engagement, sustainable practices, and technological interventions.
Key Problems Facing the Nagavali River
Sewage and Wastewater Pollution
The Nagavali River faces significant pollution from untreated sewage, particularly from towns like Parvathipuram and Rayagada. The absence of adequate sewage treatment facilities has led to the direct discharge of wastewater into the river, deteriorating its water quality.
This has resulted in elevated levels of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), indicating high organic pollution and reduced oxygen levels, which adversely affect aquatic life.
Solid Waste Dumping
Improper solid waste management practices have led to the accumulation of plastics, biomedical waste, and household refuse along the riverbanks and in the river itself. This not only pollutes the water but also poses health risks to local communities and wildlife. The lack of effective waste segregation and disposal systems exacerbates the problem, leading to the proliferation of pollutants in the river ecosystem.
Water Quality Degradation
The water quality of the Nagavali River has deteriorated due to increased turbidity, presence of heavy metals, and organic pollutants. These contaminants originate from industrial discharges, agricultural runoff, and urban waste, making the water unsafe for consumption and harming aquatic organisms. The degradation of water quality also affects the livelihoods of communities dependent on the river for fishing and agriculture.
Loss of Biodiversity
The ecological health of the Nagavali River has declined, leading to a loss of biodiversity. Overfishing, habitat destruction, and pollution have resulted in the decline of native fish species and other aquatic organisms. This loss of biodiversity disrupts the ecological balance and affects the food security of local communities relying on the river’s resources.
Riverbank Encroachment
Encroachment along the riverbanks has led to the destruction of natural habitats and increased vulnerability to flooding. Unauthorized constructions and agricultural activities have narrowed the river’s course, disrupting its natural flow and leading to soil erosion. These activities compromise the river’s ability to recharge groundwater and support surrounding ecosystems.
Groundwater Contamination
The Nagavali River basin has witnessed groundwater contamination due to high levels of nitrates and fluorides, primarily from agricultural runoff and industrial effluents. Studies have shown that excessive use of nitrogen-based fertilizers and improper waste disposal practices contribute to the leaching of these contaminants into the groundwater. Consumption of such contaminated water poses serious health risks, including methemoglobinemia (blue baby syndrome) and fluorosis, affecting both children and adults.
This infographic delineates the Nagavali River Basin across Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, showcasing its watershed boundaries, stream orders, and gauge stations. Such hydrological mapping is vital for implementing Earth5R’s BlueCities Model to drive effective river basin management and revival strategies.
Consequences of River Neglect
Public Health Risks
The contamination of the Nagavali River has led to significant public health concerns. Communities relying on the river for drinking water face increased exposure to waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, and skin infections. The presence of bio-medical waste, including syringes and saline bottles, dumped into the river exacerbates these health risks.
Increased Urban Flooding
Encroachments along the riverbanks and inadequate waste management have reduced the river’s capacity to handle heavy rainfall, leading to frequent urban flooding. The incomplete infrastructure projects, like the Purnapadu-Labesu bridge, hinder effective water flow and exacerbate flooding during the monsoon season.
Economic Losses
The degradation of the Nagavali River adversely affects the local economy. Agriculture suffers due to polluted irrigation water, while fishing communities face declining fish populations. Tourism potential is also diminished as the river’s scenic and cultural value deteriorates.
Social Inequality
Marginalized communities bear the brunt of the river’s neglect. Limited access to clean water and increased exposure to health hazards deepen existing social inequalities. These communities often lack the resources to advocate for environmental justice or to mitigate the impacts of pollution.
Why Past Efforts Have Failed
Fragmented Responsibilities Among Agencies
Efforts to clean and restore the Nagavali River have historically been sporadic and poorly coordinated, leading to limited success. One of the core issues has been the fragmentation of responsibilities among various government departments.
For instance, in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha—states through which the Nagavali flows—different agencies handle urban development, water resources, sanitation, and forest conservation, resulting in policy overlaps and jurisdictional confusion. Without a single accountable authority, river rejuvenation plans often get caught in bureaucratic red tape.
Focus on Beautification Over Ecological Restoration
Many river cleanup initiatives have focused on cosmetic beautification rather than long-term ecological restoration. Projects under programs like AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation) often emphasize aesthetic upgrades—such as walkway construction or lighting—over interventions like wetland restoration or wastewater treatment.
This short-sighted approach has failed to address root causes such as sewage inflow or industrial discharge, leading to rapid re-pollution of previously cleaned stretches.
Lack of Real-Time Public Monitoring Systems
A significant gap has also been the absence of real-time public monitoring systems. Most government-led river health assessments rely on outdated, infrequent manual water quality tests, which are not transparent or accessible to the public. Unlike platforms like Earth5R’s River Health Dashboard, which provide citizen-engaged pollution tracking, local authorities around the Nagavali lack such systems. This reduces accountability and public pressure for sustained improvements.
Insufficient Community Engagement and Citizen Participation
Another critical failure is the lack of citizen participation and long-term community engagement in river rejuvenation efforts. Government programs often do not integrate local communities, NGOs, or resident welfare associations in either planning or execution. As studies by organizations like TERI suggest, community-driven solutions are crucial for lasting impact.
In the case of the Nagavali, awareness programs have been minimal, and citizen ownership of the river’s wellbeing remains low.
Limited Corporate Sector Involvement and CSR Initiatives
The corporate sector, which could be a significant ally through CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) initiatives, has also not been adequately mobilized. While companies are increasingly investing in water sustainability across India, projects on rivers like the Yamuna or Ganga receive most of the attention. Nagavali, by contrast, suffers from limited ESG-aligned funding and minimal corporate involvement in river restoration efforts.
Challenges in Interstate Cooperation
Finally, the lack of interstate cooperation between Andhra Pradesh and Odisha—both crucial stakeholders of the Nagavali Basin—has hindered the river’s comprehensive restoration. Cross-border collaboration is essential for basin-level planning, but political and administrative tensions often delay unified action. Research by NIUA (National Institute of Urban Affairs) highlights the importance of transboundary river governance for effective pollution control and resource allocation.
Current Efforts and Community Action
Community-Led Clean-Up Initiatives
In Srikakulam, local residents have taken proactive steps to address the pollution in the Nagavali River. A notable example is the initiative led by Jeevan, a resident of Hudco Colony, who launched the “Clean Nagavali River” program. Motivated by witnessing the dumping of garbage into the river, Jeevan utilized social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter to raise awareness and mobilize volunteers.
His efforts garnered support from the Srikakulam Municipal Commissioner and Health Officer, leading to organized clean-up drives on Sundays with the participation of municipal staff and community members. This grassroots movement emphasizes the importance of community involvement in environmental conservation.
Municipal and Governmental Interventions
The Srikakulam Municipal Corporation has initiated several measures to combat river pollution. Under the “Swachh Nagavali” initiative, large-scale cleaning programs have been conducted, involving municipal sanitation workers and volunteers.
Health officials have highlighted the cultural significance of rivers in India and urged residents to refrain from dumping waste into the river, instead promoting proper waste disposal methods. These efforts aim to restore the Nagavali River’s health and ensure its sustainability for future generations.
NGO and Institutional Partnerships
Environmental organizations like Earth5R have collaborated with local NGOs and colleges to enhance river restoration efforts. In Parvathipuram and Srikakulam, Earth5R has conducted clean-up operations covering approximately 3,849 meters of the river’s shoreline.
These initiatives focus on removing industrial polythene and household trash, training sanitation workers in waste management, and coordinating with municipal bodies to scale recovery operations. Such partnerships exemplify the impact of collective action in addressing environmental challenges.
Infrastructure Development and Policy Measures
To address water scarcity and pollution, proposals have been made to construct structures like groynes across the Nagavali River. These structures aim to store sufficient water in infiltration tanks, mitigating the effects of illegal sand mining and ensuring a stable water supply for the city. Additionally, the development and beautification of the Nagavali riverfront in Visakhapatnam are being planned to promote tourism and environmental conservation.
The Path Forward: A Blueprint for Restoration
Implementing Sewage Treatment Infrastructure
The Nagavali River’s health is severely impacted by the direct discharge of untreated sewage into its waters. In Srikakulam, drainage from various localities merges into the river, leading to contamination and health issues among residents. To address this, the municipal authorities initiated the construction of a sewage treatment plant (STP) under the AMRUT scheme.
However, progress has been sluggish due to funding constraints, with only 15% of the work completed as of mid-2019. Accelerating the completion of such infrastructure is crucial to prevent further degradation of the river’s ecosystem.
Enforcing Regulations Against Illegal Sand Mining
Illegal sand and stone mining activities along the Nagavali River have led to significant ecological disturbances, including altered river courses and increased flood risks. These operations, often conducted with heavy machinery, have been rampant in areas like Kumutipentha and Kotapeta.
Despite the evident environmental damage, enforcement has been lax, partly due to alleged corruption among officials. Strict regulation and monitoring are essential to curb these activities and restore the river’s natural flow.
Promoting Community Engagement and Awareness
Community involvement plays a pivotal role in river conservation. In Srikakulam, local resident Jeevan initiated the “Clean Nagavali River” campaign, mobilizing volunteers through social media to participate in regular clean-up drives.
These efforts, supported by municipal authorities, have not only reduced pollution but also fostered a sense of collective responsibility among residents. Such grassroots movements demonstrate the power of community action in environmental restoration.
Integrating Sustainable Urban Planning
Urban development along the Nagavali River has often overlooked environmental considerations, leading to pollution and habitat loss. In response, plans are underway to develop and beautify the riverfront in Visakhapatnam, aiming to balance urban growth with ecological preservation. These initiatives include creating green spaces, promoting eco-tourism, and implementing waste management systems, setting a precedent for sustainable urban planning in riverine areas.
Establishing Continuous Monitoring and Evaluation
For long-term success, it’s imperative to implement continuous monitoring of the river’s health. This involves regular assessment of water quality, biodiversity, and the effectiveness of restoration efforts.
Data collected can inform policy decisions and enable timely interventions to address emerging challenges. Collaborations between government agencies, academic institutions, and local communities are vital to establish a robust monitoring framework.
Earth5R BlueCities: The Proven, Scalable Solution
Data-Driven River Health Diagnosis
To address the multi-dimensional challenges facing rivers like the Nagavali, Earth5R employs a data-centric approach that begins with comprehensive river health diagnostics. This includes analyzing water quality, biodiversity metrics, waste input sources, and pollution levels through community-led surveys and sensor-based monitoring.
The BlueCities platform integrates this data to visualize problem zones and prioritize restoration efforts efficiently. This method has been applied successfully in multiple cities, such as in Earth5R’s Mumbai River Rejuvenation Program, which was documented in collaboration with MIT Solveand backed by technical research on data-informed sustainability.
Community-First Mobilization and Training
Unlike top-down cleanup efforts that often lack longevity, Earth5R’s model begins with citizens, building a sense of ownership through training and awareness campaigns. In Nagavali’s context, this could empower thousands in villages like Srikakulam and Rayagada, where environmental knowledge is often limited due to lack of access.
Earth5R’s certified Environmental Education Programs have transformed passive urban dwellers into active environmental stewards and inspired other platforms like India Water Portal to replicate grassroots models.
This infographic presents a detailed drainage and zonal map of the Nagavali River Basin, illustrating stream orders from source to confluence across Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. It highlights key ecological zones like the Niyamgiri Hills and Kallepalli, offering crucial insights for targeted restoration under Earth5R’s BlueCities Model.
Science-Based Ecological Restoration
Restoration of the Nagavali River cannot succeed without reviving its natural ecology. Earth5R’s ecological restoration model is rooted in scientific research and local biodiversity assessments. In other cities, Earth5R has restored wetlands and constructed green biofilters using native vegetation to remove toxins from wastewater before it enters river streams.
These techniques are scalable to the Nagavali’s vulnerable tributaries such as the Vamsadhara, which suffer from sedimentation and loss of native fish species. Similar methods are endorsed by leading institutions such as the Centre for Science and Environment and have shown results in Pune’s Mula-Mutha river through Earth5R’s pilot interventions.
Circular Economy and Waste-to-Recycling Integration
One of the most transformative aspects of the BlueCities model is its integration of waste management and recycling with livelihood creation. Earth5R partners with local ragpickers, SHGs (Self-Help Groups), and recycling units to create decentralized material recovery facilities (MRFs).
In the Nagavali region, this approach can be implemented in semi-urban areas like Gunupur and Parlakhemundi, where plastic waste from local markets clogs water bodies. The model aligns with the Government of India’s Smart Cities Mission on circular economy implementation and is supported by CSR programs such as Hindustan Unilever’s “Waste No More” campaign.
Private Sector and Government Collaboration
Earth5R understands that effective river rejuvenation requires more than just community involvement—it demands collaboration between corporates, local governments, and environmental NGOs. Through CSR-backed environmental initiatives, Earth5R has mobilized resources from companies such as Capgemini, Accenture, and L&T to fund urban sustainability programs.
In the case of the Nagavali, industries located along the river’s banks—particularly in mining and paper sectors—can be brought on board via CSR compliance mechanisms to support restoration. This partnership model was recognized in the NITI Aayog “Compendium of Best Practices in CSR”.
Technology and Transparency: Real-Time Pollution Monitoring
Transparency is vital for long-term accountability in river restoration. Earth5R integrates IoT (Internet of Things) sensors and mobile apps to create real-time dashboards that track river pollution, community engagement metrics, and restoration progress. These digital platforms are not only used internally but also made available to the public and local government bodies to ensure consistent visibility.
For Nagavali, which flows across diverse administrative boundaries, such a tech-enabled governance model ensures coordinated efforts. Similar real-time systems have been adopted in Europe’s Danube River Basin, showcasing global relevance.
Green Jobs and Skill Development
River restoration can be a powerful engine for local job creation. Earth5R’s BlueCities framework builds capacity in green livelihoods by offering training in environmental monitoring, waste management, recycling entrepreneurship, and eco-tourism.
For Nagavali basin communities facing unemployment and agricultural distress, this model presents a path toward climate-resilient, sustainable economic development. Such programs are aligned with India’s Skill India Mission and international best practices such as the UNEP’s Green Jobs Report.
Data Snapshot Box Of Nagavali River
A comprehensive view of the Nagavali River’s health requires a snapshot of key environmental and urban indicators. This data-centric overview helps policymakers, environmental NGOs, and citizens understand the scale of degradation and the urgency of implementing effective river cleaning and restoration initiatives.
The table below summarizes the critical environmental metrics, based on data sourced from government agencies, academic research, and NGO reports.
| Indicator | Current Status | Source |
| Sewage Treated | Approx. 38% of total sewage generated | CPCB Report on Sewage Treatment |
| BOD Level | 5.1 mg/L (above safe limit in urban areas) | APPCB Water Quality Report |
| Fecal Coliform Count | Found to exceed permissible limits | National Water Quality Monitoring |
| Plastic Waste Volume | Over 12 tonnes dumped annually | Down To Earth Report |
| Encroachment | Nearly 22% of riverbank area encroached | Urban Planning Survey by NRSC |
| Biodiversity Loss | Over 40% reduction in aquatic species | Environmental Survey by ICAR-CIFRI |
| Urban Flooding Risk | High during monsoons due to clogged channels | NIH Flood Risk Atlas |
| Citizen Participation | Low (engagement limited to specific drives) | Earth5R Community Participation Report |
This snapshot underlines the pressing need for river cleaning, plastic waste management, and active citizen participation. The ecological distress reflected in these numbers is both a warning and a call to action for integrated solutions through sustainable urban practices and climate-resilient planning.
Urban Sustainability Opportunities for Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, and Nearby Cities
Reviving the Nagavali River is not just an environmental imperative but a gateway to transforming urban sustainability across cities like Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, and even parts of Odisha. Integrating river restoration with broader smart city frameworks can ensure long-term ecological, economic, and social resilience.
Below are key sustainability pillars that can be developed in tandem with the BlueCities model.
Waste Management and Circular Economy
The Nagavali basin is burdened by unsegregated solid waste, especially plastic, which often ends up clogging its tributaries. Cities along the river need to transition to decentralized waste management systems using Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) to promote segregation, recycling, and upcycling at the source.
A shift toward a circular economy, as advocated by Earth5R, can turn waste into resources, generate green jobs, and minimize landfill dependency.
Sustainable Mobility and Transport
The increase in vehicular pollution and unplanned transport corridors around urban zones near Nagavali calls for a green mobility revolution. Integrating non-motorized transport lanes, electric vehicle incentives, and public bike-sharing can reduce the urban carbon footprint.
Cities like Srikakulam can learn from Kochi’s model of integrated urban transport and embed sustainability into infrastructure planning.
Urban Green Spaces and Biodiversity
With rapid urban expansion, cities along the river are witnessing the loss of urban forests and biodiversity corridors. Reviving green spaces along the riverbanks—using native flora and wetland ecosystems—can reduce heat islands and provide ecological buffers during monsoons.
Community-driven parks and biodiversity gardens can become educational spaces that nurture environmental awareness.
Water Conservation and Management
Groundwater depletion and seasonal scarcity are major concerns across the Nagavali basin. Implementing rainwater harvesting retrofits, greywater reuse systems, and smart irrigation in agriculture can help cities become water-wise. Additionally, urban lakes and recharge pits can play a vital role in replenishing aquifers.
Carbon Footprint Reduction and Climate Action
As climate change worsens, coastal and river-adjacent towns are becoming more vulnerable to floods and extreme weather. Initiatives like community carbon audits, solar micro-grids, and net-zero public buildings can accelerate decarbonization. Municipalities can adopt urban resilience action plans modeled on cities like Surat and Ahmedabad that have mainstreamed climate adaptation.
Citizen Sustainability Engagement
No sustainability model can succeed without active citizen participation. Earth5R’s citizen science initiatives, environmental workshops, and public dashboards encourage transparency and co-ownership. Digital platforms like IChangeMyCity and hyperlocal apps can facilitate reporting of waste hotspots, pollution events, or tree cutting. Green awards and environmental literacy drives can foster a sense of community responsibility, especially among youth and students.
By integrating river restoration with holistic urban sustainability, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam can become living models of environmental resilience. The Earth5R BlueCities initiative is uniquely positioned to guide this transformation at every step—through data, training, ecological restoration, and partnerships. As the Nagavali River is revitalized, so too can the cities it nurtures rise into a future of shared prosperity and climate resilience.
– Authored by Pragna Chakraborty
