The Hindu 30.06.2010
Make use of natural water bodies, Kallam tells GVMC
G.V. Prasada Sarma
| Call to rope in big establishments for tanks' development |
VISAKHAPATNAM: Visakhaptnam Port Trust Chairman Ajeya Kallam has advised the GVMC to avoid going in for big projects and instead use natural water bodies in and around the city for conservation to meet the needs of people. There are about 70 to 80 big establishments, including the port trust and steel plant, and by involving them the tanks could be readied in two years, he said at the 208 {+t} {+h} birth anniversary of the architect of the Godavari delta Sir Arthur Cotton, organised by the Association of Consultant Civil Engineers and Indian Concrete Institute local chapters here on Tuesday.
Mr. Kallam said the country should evolve a development model that was in tune with its culture and said countries like Germany were limiting the size of their cities within one million instead of taking pride in creating bigger agglomerations.
Besides avoiding excessive concretisation of roads, while allowing real estate development protecting the natural course of water in the catchment area was of importance, Mr. Kallam pointed out.
He commended the presentation made by retired geo-engineering professor of AU V. Venkateswara Rao “on protection and development of water bodies in augmenting water supply for GVMC” prepared by him and S. Gopala Sastry of Sohum Consultancy, as sensible and practical.
Additional sources
The presentation suggested creating additional water sources, new reservoirs for transported water and summer storage, improving storage capacities of present reservoirs and tanks and subsurface dykes across river beds. Prof. Venkateswara Rao said about 70 to 80 tanks could be used as storage space for the 24 tmcft to be realised from Polavaram canal and avoid acquiring 4,000 acres of land.
GVMC Chief Engineer B. Jayarami Reddy said 90 tanks had the potential to be developed as tourist resorts as well as for groundwater recharge. The GVMC intended to conserve water on the lines of ‘Project Agastya' in Bangalore.
GVMC Chief Engineer Vinay Kumar said the micro reservoirs project would be taken up on a bigger level. Mr. Gopala Sastry, Mr. Gopal and former Principal of AU Engineering College Bangareswara Sarma participated.
