Chhattisgarh Partners With Bengaluru's Antrix Corporation For Water Mapping

Bengaluru-based Antrix Corporation has entered into a strategic partnership with the Chhattisgarh state government to deploy advanced geospatial technology and space data for regional water resource management, announced during the 'Strot Mahotsav 2026' workshop held at Omaya Garden in Raipur.

The collaboration will leverage the expertise of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) through Antrix Corporation. In its preliminary phase, the project will utilize spatial data to monitor and analyze water resources across an expansive 1,540-square-kilometre area located in the Kunkuri tehsil.

The agreement was one of two Memorandums of Understanding formalized during the state-level workshop inaugurated by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai. A second agreement was signed with the National Water Academy in Pune to facilitate training and capacity building for government officials and grassroots workers in modern water management methods.

Addressing delegates, experts, and district-level committee members, Chief Minister Sai outlined five core pillars for the state's river conservation roadmap: mapping, conservation, recharge, public participation, and action plan formulation. Under this framework, rivers and their catchment areas will undergo scientific mapping to track flow dynamics, source points, land-use shifts, and ecological disruptions impacting natural courses.

Chief Minister Sai noted that pairing modern scientific insights from geospatial data with traditional community knowledge will help establish targeted water security strategies. He instructed district committees to organize local teams in riverside villages to coordinate restoration work with Panchayats, while urging technical experts to translate scientific concepts into accessible terms for the public.

As part of the proceedings, the Chief Minister also released the book 'Neer-Nari-Nidhi', which highlights the role of women in water conservation and documents local ecological innovations.

Water Resources Department Secretary Rajesh Sukumar Toppo stated that the state's strategy focuses on studying entire river ecosystems, including source zones, soil moisture, and vegetative cover across nine river groups. The workshop was attended by specialists from the Namami Gange Mission, faculty from NIT Raipur, district collectors, and Dr. Vinod Tare, Founder of cGanga and Professor at IIT Kanpur.