The Hindu 15.06.2010
Corporation puts up rainwater harvesting structure
Special Correspondent
| Will end stagnation on road and inundation of nearby houses: Mayor |
Photo: K. Ananthan. 
Twin objective:Mayor R. Venkatachalam explains the features of a rainwater harvesting structure built by the Coimbatore Corporation at Chinthamani Nagar in ward no:62 . —
COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore Corporation has put up a rainwater harvesting structure measuring around 200 sq.ft. at Chinthamani Nagar of Ward 62, with the twin objective of recharging the aquifer and also solving a 20-year problem of water stagnation.
The civic body has used a reserved site, north of NSR Road, to put up the structure 15 ft below the road level. “The structure runs another 15 ft deep. Siruthuli (a public initiative for water resources conservation) has sunk a 280-ft deep bore well,” Mayor R. Venkatachalam said on Monday.
Ward councillor R. Gayathri said: “Once operational, the new structure will solve the problem of stagnation of rain water at this spot. A faulty gradient from the main road and another from a street led to rain water flowing towards the site and stagnating in front of a few houses,” she explained.
The councillor said people residing in a house near the reserved site used to move out of the place during heavy rain as water entered the compound.
Pointing at a channel at the entrance of the site, the Mayor said rain water would flow through this into the rainwater harvesting structure. The Rs.7-lakh project also consisted of landscaping around the core water harvesting structure.
The area for landscaping was being prepared on all four sides of the harvest pit. Pipes had been provided here also to take the rain water seeping into the soil to the harvest spot. Slopes had been formed further down the landscape section so that rain water could flow to the harvest area. The outer ring of the facility was being provided with a walkers' track measuring four feet wide. A barricade and a gate would separate the track from the landscape and the harvest structure.
A private party would take up maintenance of the landscaped area and the track and also the task of providing security. “The public can use only the walkers' track,” the Mayor said.
The barricades would have boards with slogans that called upon the public to shun plastic bags and save rain water.
“There will be an advice to the people that they should pay Property Tax and drinking water charges promptly as only this revenue will help the Corporation provide various facilities, including good rain water harvesting structures,” Mr. Venkatachalam said.
The Mayor explained that the harvest structure could absorb 6,000 cubic ft of water. “We want to complete the work before the South West Monsoon turns vigorous,” he said.
