Deccan Herald 21.08.2013
Mega project to divert sewage from SWDs
The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike has
drawn up an ambitious action plan to divert sewage flowing into the
major and minor stormwater drains (SWDs). The Palike has sought a
Central aid of Rs 2,604.39 crore under the Jawaharlal Nehru National
Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) for the purpose.
The
project is related to the five zones of Mahadevapura, Dasarahalli,
Yelahanka, Rajarajeshwari Nagar and Bommanahalli. In the first phase,
BBMP has sought Rs 1,328.28 crore to improve SWDs in Mahadevapura,
Dasarahalli and Yehahanka zones. In the second phase, the Palike will
seek Rs 1,276.11 crore for Rajarajeshwari Nagar and Bommanahalli zones.
If
the Palike succeeds in getting the aid and executes its plan, it will
breath life into at least 150 water bodies in the newly added areas
comprising 110 villages, five City Municipal Councils and one Town
Municipal Council.
not only polluting the water bodies, but also shrinking their extent due
to the silt deposits and weeds. Gradually, the water storage capacity
of the lakes reduces and they become level fields. This way, the water
bodies disappear and illegal settlements come up on them.
Most of
the sewage is let out by the apartments into the SWDs. There are
instances when builders and developers encroached upon SWDs and aided
other landgrabbers to encroach the SWDs and water bodies linked to them.
This way, many water bodies and SWDs were lost.
The fund will
also be utilised for flood mitigation to improve the environmental
conditions around the water bodies. As per the plan, the Palike intends
to set up mini automated floodgates in the lakes with a prompt alert
system that gives a warning signal to people living downstream to vacate
in the event of flooding.
A senior Palike officer said, “SWDs
are meant only for rainwater to flow. But presently, sewage is flowing
in them. If we succeed in our plan, rainwater will feed our water bodies.”