The Hindu 18.06.2013
Awareness programme on rainwater harvesting
Namakkal Municipality on Saturday conducted an awareness programme for the members of women self-help groups (SHGs) on the importance of implementing rainwater harvesting in houses to tackle water crisis in the future. More than 250 women took part in the programme that was organised at the municipal marriage hall on the Thuraiyur Road in Namakkal Town.
Inaugurating the programme, Municipal Chairman R. Karigalan said that the prevailing drinking water shortage and depleting underground water table has left no other option but to collect and make optimum use of the minimum available rainwater.
He said that the municipal council has planned to give prizes to persons who involve themselves actively in implementing rainwater harvesting.
Municipal Commissioner (In-charge) M. Kamalanathan said that a similar programme was organised for the municipal councillors on Friday in which the representatives participated without party difference. “We are preparing a truck with rainwater harvesting models to suit different types of houses. It will be flagged off in an awareness drive that would be held next week and will create awareness in residential areas across the Town”, he added.
According to the Commissioner (In-charge), the awareness programmes would stress on the need to store rainwater and recharge the ground water table – by setting up new rainwater harvesting pits and carrying out repair and maintenance works in the existing harvesting pits that were dug a few years ago and left unattended.