NGO helps revive rainwater harvesting systems

Bijendra Ahlawat

Tribune News Service

Faridabad, June 17

Development-2050, an NGO, has helped in the revival of as many as 50 rainwater harvesting systems lying defunct for the past few years in the city. A total of 180 such systems installed in the past couple of decades have been lying non-functional due to poor upkeep.

“We have been associated with providing direct help for work on the revival or repair of around one-third such systems lying non-functional. We have aided in repairing around 50 so far,” said Shaswat, head of the NGO.

Adding that more systems would be put in place by the end of the month, he said it was perhaps for the first time that the MC had involved the services of private professionals in such a job.

He said Development-2050 had been involved in water conservation initiatives for rainwater harvesting and revival of water bodies, drains and check dams.

He said expertise was provided by a team consisting of architects, engineers, urban planners and experts from various fields. “The present work is being done by the MC directly through its contractors and vendors while we are involved as active citizens and consultants,” he remarked.

Stating that the NGO had been involved in the work, Mohammed Shayin, Municipal Commissioner, said that almost 140 of the 180 systems had been repaired till date.

Saying that the MC was spending an amount of more than Rs 2 lakh on each of the systems, he added that it was likely to aid in recharging underground watertable and containing the problem of waterlogging, a regular feature during the rain.

Adding that all drains and nullahs would be cleaned before the arrival of the monsoon, he said a separate budget of about Rs 52.7 lakh had been earmarked for it. The city has drains of the length of over 40 km.

“Civic infrastructure is required to be ready by this time as waterlogging due to rain creates havoc on both roads and traffic,” said Devender Singh Surjewala a retired official.

Meanwhile, 65 new harvesting systems had been installed by the NHAI on the side of the national highway passing through the city as part of the six-laning project.