Currently, IMC spends anywhere between Rs5 and 6 crores on operation and maintenance of treatment plant at Jalood pumping station. Drawing parallels between forest cover on river bank and a kidney, chief conservator of forest (CCF) Pankaj Shrivastav said, "Like kidney purifies blood to keep us healthy, forest cover on Narmada bank from Omkareshwar to Mandaleshwar to Maheshwar will purify water and restrict flow of pollutants like soil particles, nitrogen and phosphorous into river." He was speaking at Environment Conservation Seminar organized by Centre for Environment Protection Research & Development (CEPRD) on Tuesday.

He gave the example of New York City, where forest protection strategy in watershed has resulted in massive savings as it's is cheaper to protect and manage forest than to build and maintain water treatment plant.

Estimated cost of building a treatment plant for New York was $ 6 to 8 billion as start up costs and $ 300 to 500 million as annual operating cost, while the cost of protecting land and forest resources were estimated at $ 1 to 1.5 billion for a period of ten years.New York developed forests on the bank of Gypsy Trial Lake, which supplies water to NY.

Since 1997, entire city is supplied water from the lake, without spending much on treatment. "We can have similar system for Indore too," said Shrivastav, who has prepared a full fledge plan for Indore named 'Kidney of Indore'.

"Narmada is monsoon fed and dependent on ground water and regeneration. Climate change will alter the river's hydrology," said Shrivastav, adding that it is in interest of Indore and other cities which get water from Narmada to ensure base flow of water in the river. Fertilizers used in field on both sides of Narmada are carried into the river by monsoon water, thus polluting the river.

"Plants absorb pollutants like nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus (found in fertilisers) and convert them into nitrogen and nitrite dioxide gases," informed Shrivastav.