ConceptPaperonAssessmentofResourcesand

StrategiesforSustainableManagementof
PandharpurPilgrimageCenter

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Concept Paper on Assessment of Resources and Strategies for Sustainable Management of Pandharpur
Pilgrimage Center

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Background:
ThereligiousplacesinIndiaarethemostimportantassetstobepreservedsincethesearealso
themost favoreddestinationsfor the domestic as wellas Internationaltourists. The State of
Maharashtra has a laudable history of saints and pilgrim places; hence it is rightfully called
Santanchi Bhoomi (Landof Saints). Pandharpur is one these pilgrimage centers, withthe
population of 1.25 lakhs and oating population of about 10 lakhs four times a year, which
resultsintremendouspressureonbothresources,infrastructure,andmanagementofservices.
The concerns canbe addressedthrough appropriate strategybasedon the baseline studies
relatedtotheenergy,environment,includingbasicresourceslikewater,sanitation,health,and
hygieneetc.Theapproachwouldbebasedontheassessmentaddressingenvironment,social,
and economic issues, along with strategy for implementation as well as institutional
arrangementandfundingmechanism.

Objective:
To assess the existing resources, conduct carrying capacitystudies, anddevelopappropriate
mechanisms and strategies for eective implementation for sustainable management of
Pandharpurasapilgrimagecenter.

Implementationagency:
TheimplementationagencywouldbeMunicipalCouncilofPandharpur

Scopeofwork:
Thescopeofworkandapproachinvolvesthefollowing.

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Concept Paper on Assessment of Resources and Strategies for Sustainable Management of Pandharpur
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Theactionplanwouldrequireaninstitutional

STAGE 3

infrastructuretoimplementtheactionplace.Stage3
wouldincludestrategyforimplementation,designand
developmentofinstitutionalinfrastructure,andfunding
andnancialsustainabilityplanning.

STAGE 2

Detailedactionplanwouldbedevisedtoaddressallthe
concernsandndingsofassessmentstudies.Itwouldbe
practical,implementable,andecient

Assessmentofvariousparametersassociatedwith

STAGE 1

environmental,social,economical,andsafetyand
securityofPandharpurasapilgrimageplace.Itwould
helptoassessandarriveattheunderstandingofcurrent
situationagainstthedesiredone

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STAGE1ASSESSMENTOFISSUES
Assessmentwouldbedoneconsideringthefollowingkeyparameters.

EnergyandEnvironmentIssue
Waterrequirement
Sanitation
Solidwaste
Biomedicalwaste
Energyrequirements
Air,water,noise,andlandpollution
Riverpollution
GHGemissions
Carryingcapacity

Infrastructure
Tracandtransportation
Publicmanagementservices
Localadministration
Healthcarefacility
Educationandacademicinstitutions
Accommodation

Social
Demographicanalysis
Pilgrimgrowth
Crowdmanagement
Epidemicanddisease
Sanitation
Informationsystem
Religiousharmony
Publicandprivatepropertydamage
Foodavailability
NGOs

Economic
Fundingsources
Workingcapitalmanagement
Revenueoptions
Grants
Managementofrecurringexpenditure
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SafetyandSecurity

Emergencyanddisaster(NaturalandManmade)
Fire
Stampede
Flood
Terrorism
Propertyloss
Structuresandbuildings
Crimecontrol

STAGE2ACTIONPLANDEVELOPMENT
Basedontheassessmentreport,adetailedactionplanwoulddevisedaddressingallthe
issued.

STAGE3STRATEGYFORIMPLEMENTATION
1. ImplementationMechanism
Based on assessment report, an implementation strategy mechanism would be
required which can be cornerstone for designing and development of
implementationplan.

2. Institutionalcapacitybuildingforimplementationofactionplan
Theactionplancant beimplementedwithoutproperinstitutional infrastructure
and manpower in place. At this stage, focus would be put on design and
development of institutional capacity, through training, awareness generation,
organization restructuring, personnel and administrative development, and
supportinfrastructureestablishment;withwhichactionplancanbeimplemented.

3. Educationandawareness
Education and awareness is one of the major part of implementation strategy,
whichwouldbeputinplacewithactiveinvolvementofNGOs.

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4. Publicandprivatepartnership
Public and private partnership would one of the key mechanism through which
mostofactionplanpointscouldbeimplementedwithstrongerresults.

5. Fundingandnancialsustainabilityplanning
The infrastructure established as per the action plan require continuous and
reliablesource of funding to maintain and continuethe operations. Mostof the
such project fail due to lack of continuous source of funding or revenue for
recurring costannually. Henceitis required thatsuchrevenueorfunding source
should be developed and implemented for nancial sustainability of all the
operationalactivities.

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