Student Competition - Ideas for Urban Lakes
December 2025
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India's lakes are facing unprecedented challenges due to rapid urbanisation, industrial growth, agricultural pressures, and climate change. Studies across major cities in India (Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad) report decline in lake surface area by 50-90% in the past 50 years. While lakes continue to provide essential ecosystem services such as drinking water, flood control, biodiversity habitats and carbon sequestration, the management of this vital resource remains ineffective. This leads to degradation by pollution, encroachment, over-extraction and reduced water quality.
Existing governance and management frameworks are often outdated and fragmented, relying on traditional approaches that fail to address the complexities of modern-day water crises. Furthermore, local communities, who are the most affected, are often excluded from the decision-making processes, making it harder to implement sustainable solutions.
At the national level, the Government of India has acknowledged the need for systematic revival of traditional lakes, ponds, and reservoirs through multiple policy and programme interventions. Missions such as AMRUT 2.0 place emphasis on rejuvenation of water bodies as a key urban infrastructure component, while schemes under the Jal Shakti Abhiyan focus on renovation, geo-tagging, inventory creation, and scientific restoration.
There is a pressing need for innovative approaches that can support community involvement, data-driven decision-making, and collaborative governance. This student competition aims to tap into the knowledge of young researchers for ideas and innovations on improving lake governance and lake health. It is organized by CWAS in partnerhsip with the Faculty of Planning at CEPT University, Ahmedabad.
Who can submit entries?
Students enrolled in universities/affiliated colleges across varied domains – planning, architecture, engineering, technology, management – all are invited to submit entries.
Ideas and Innovations
Theme 1 – Tech4Lakes
• AI and ML for lakes – Mapping temporal spatial water change, Water quality monitoring, alert system for lakes, prediction system for lake health and encroachment and water catchment damage identification.
• Citizen engagement tech platforms – Gamification, mobile apps, chatbots, lake stories and history mapping of lakes
• Smart Monitoring and Sensing Systems – IoT based systems for data collection and surveillance, technologies for flood management, drought prediction, and adaptive lake management
• Decision Support and Simulation Tools for Lake Management - Platforms that integrate data and models to simulate scenarios, plan interventions, and support management decisions.
• Innovative Technologies – Lake cleaning technology, modular sewage treatment techniques, algal bloom cleaning systems, low-cost depth mapping tech, sediment assessment, restoration and pollution control strategies.
Theme 2- Communities4Lakes
• Volunteer-led clean-up and monitoring programs – building a community face for clean-up of lakes across different cities.
• Cultural and Heritage Engagement – Developing strategies for enhancing the lake culture, heritage and environmental value through storytelling, festival and art installations.
• Citizen Monitoring and Reporting Initiatives – focusing on integrating the SHGs and local community-driven monitoring, reporting, and safeguarding activities.
Theme 3 – Design4Lakes
• Regulatory, implementation and management models – Policy frameworks, governance structures, required research and institutional coordination for integration of lake systems into urban planning.
• Lake as public spaces – Urban design solutions for enhancing the lake revival and restoration initiatives, water sensitive designs for local area, landscaping strategies for lake surrounding areas.
• Nature based solutions for lakes – Green infrastructure strategies, flood mitigating infrastructure, catchment-scale runoff and sediment control structures and ecology-based edge preservation.
Details for submission
• Expression of Interest should be sent on email by 15th January with Participant details – Team or Individual Name, Proposal Name, Institute Affiliation, Short Bios
• Entries must be submitted in form of a power point presentation (limited to 16 slides).
• Submission can be done through email at cwas@cept.ac.in by 15th February.
• Content must cover the following –
◦ Participant details – Team or Individual Name, Proposal Name, Institute Affiliation, Short Bios
◦ Need of the proposed solution and its novelty including the current practices for the suggested solution and its gaps and challenges
◦ Details about the solution – concept, design/technology, applicability and implementation options
◦ Feasibility of scaling the solution as well as workability in field conditions
◦ Optional sections - Details about Prototype / Proof-of concept / Application of the idea / Financing modes
• Participants must use publicly available datasets as far as possible. If specific datasets or research is used, due credit must be given.
• Any expenses related to submission of entry will be borne by the participants.
Evaluation and Awards
• After the last date of submission, the entries will be evaluated by a technical committee constituted by the Center for Water and Sanitation – CRDF – CEPT University.
• Shortlisted candidates will be intimated through email.
• The shortlisted entries will be given a chance to present their ideas at a convening in Ahmedabad during February.
• Final winners will be declared at the convening by the technical committee.
•The winners will be awarded –
◦ 1st prize – Rs 25,000
◦ 2nd prize – Rs 10,000
◦ 3rd prize – Rs 5,000
