The Hindu 25.04.2013
GHMC finally wakes up to ‘dry’ facts
Civic body plans to spend Rs. 10 crore for rain water harvesting pits in public places.
Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is
planning to spend Rs. 10 crore to create rain water harvesting (RWH)
pits in public places in the city. The corporation will also encourage
people’s participation in digging these pits, GHMC North Zone
Commissioner S. Hari Krishna said.
When compared to
the core city, areas falling in Ranga Reddy district face acute water
problem and this problem can be reduced by encouraging rain water
harvesting, Mr. Krishna said, while addressing representatives of
various residential colonies on Wednesday. More than 40 representatives
from United-Federation of Resident Welfare Associations (U-FERWA)
participated in the two-hour-long session.
“There is a
need for greater public participation in building the pits. Seventy per
cent of money will be reimbursed if resident associations take up
construction of RWH pits in public places, colonies and apartment
complexes,” he said. North zone will concentrate on Alwal and Malkajgiri
areas to create maximum harvesting facilities before the advent of
monsoon, he said.
U-FERWA representatives shared
their experiences and deliberated on the steps that should be taken to
address the problem of water scarcity and groundwater depletion. “The
basic obstacle in constructing RWH pits is lack of proper space and
faulty building plans. GHMC should ensure that building plans
incorporate provisions for such facilities,” a delegate said.
Ensure that pits are built in scientific manner so that rain water is not wasted, he said.
“We
have two months before the onset of monsoon and this is the time to
step up efforts and build water harvesting pits,” Dr. Rao V.B.J.
Chelikani of U-FERWA said. Instead of promising reimbursement,
authorities should concentrate on creating proper incentives like giving
rebates in property tax, he observed.
“Our
experience shows that residents get disillusioned when some of them fail
to get the money back even after completing the construction of RWH
pits. Definite steps like reduction in property tax and other incentives
will motivate them better,” he added.
