Majority of 84 rainwater harvesting systems checked by admin team choked - Hindustan Times
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Majority of 84 rainwater harvesting systems checked by admin team choked

By, Gurugram
Aug 01, 2021 11:53 PM IST

According to a report filed by a team that checked rainwater harvesting units in areas under nine residents’ welfare associations (RWAs), 54% of 84 drains were found to be dirty and choked

The majority of the 84 rainwater harvesting units checked by the district administration over the past two weeks, after the city received intermittent spells of rainfall, were choked, officials said.

Officials said that rainwater harvesting pits can help recharge the groundwater table. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)
Officials said that rainwater harvesting pits can help recharge the groundwater table. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

According to a report filed by a team that checked rainwater harvesting units in areas under nine residents’ welfare associations (RWAs), 54% of 84 drains were found to be dirty and choked. Further, the report stated that 33% of the drains need to be cleaned and 13% are in good condition. The inspections were conducted on July 15 and 22.

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The team has been inspecting rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems in various sectors of the city to ensure that the structures are functional. The team includes officials from the Department of Town and Country Planning, municipal corporations of Gurugram and Manesar, and GuruJal society. There are over 400 RWH systems in the city.

The RWH enforcement drive report of July 22, after drives were conducted in housing societies in Sector 92, also suggested the construction of new RWHs and expansion of current structures in a few societies. At housing societies in Golf Estate, the report stated that rainwater harvesting structures need de-silting and cleaning.

After an inspection on July 15, RS Bhath, the district town planner (enforcement), said water was released into the RWH structures but it was found that it did not diffuse into five of the underground pits. “We have asked developers and RWAs to take corrective action at the earliest. Such inspections will be conducted in all the residential areas and commercial buildings in the coming days,” he said.

The official further said in case rainwater harvesting structures are not functional in housing colonies, residents can lodge a complaint through email, at dtpenf2.gurugram.tcp@gmail.com.

“We are trying to ensure that RWH pits across the city are functional so that rainwater does not get wasted. If all this water is saved, the water table will rise. The developers and RWAs will be asked to ensure these pits are made functional and maintained,” Bhath said.

Last week, Yash Garg, the deputy commissioner of Gurugram, during a statewide review meeting of work done under Jal Shakti Abhiyan, had said that a target of installing 2,106 rainwater harvesting structures is set for the district, with 405 structures already having been built.

In the first week of March, the district administration launched a comprehensive campaign for water conservation, to improve the groundwater level in the district. As part of the campaign, the district administration has now started checking the functionality of rainwater harvesting structures, especially in large-scale residential and commercial establishments.

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