The Hindu : Adopt temple tanks for RWH, NGOs told

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 23, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai

Adopt temple tanks for RWH, NGOs told

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI MARCH 22. The observance of World Water Day today was subdued in the city.

Perhaps, at the only public function to mark the occasion, a call was made to the NGOs such as the Exnora for adoption of temple tanks for renovation and rainwater harvesting.

Participating in the function conducted by the Choolaimedu Exnora Innovators Club, the Metrowater Managing Director said statistics were being gathered on the number of wells in households to monitor usage of groundwater. He also assured that there was no need for any anxiety about supply of water this summer. "The present supply of water every alternate day will continue till the first week of October or the onset of the north east monsoon", he said.

R. Govindaraj, joint general secretary, Exnora International, stressed the need for forming vigilance committees in each zone involving NGOs and civic organisations to monitor the supply of water through tankers this summer. Prizes were distributed to students who participated in the drawing and elocution competition conducted by the Exnora to mark the day.

At a seminar organised at the Madras University on Friday, P.V.Sahadevan, former Chief Engineer of the PWD, said the State Government's efforts to create three small reservoirs across the Cooum in Zamin Korattur, across the Adyar at Thiruneermalai and at Ogium Maduvu in Pallikaranai, came through, the water supply to the city would be augmented substantially.

The experts' committee on rainwater harvesting too recommended deepening of Neman, Pillapakkam and Sriperumbudur tanks connected to the Chembarampakkam lake, and Ambattur, Korattur and Madhavaram chain of tanks which should be implemented soon, he told the seminar organised by the Centre for Water Studies, Madras University and the Srinivasan Services Trust.

Though rainwater harvesting might not be relevant in some towns, it was the only way to sustain water resources in major urban areas such as Chennai, said Sekhar Raghavan, Director, Rain Centre. While the city's water bodies were being encroached upon, leaving less storage space, the stormwater drains were draining off the city's requirement of water for one whole year to the sea. Recharge of groundwater, thus, was the only alternative to the natural ways of rain harvesting. In the context of the city, the RWH facilities had been implemented in 60,000 houses — over 13 per cent of the total property.

The Vice-Chancellor, S. Ignacimuthu, said with the depleting groundwater table, the Central Government was planning a mega project of inter-linking rivers to make up for the scarcity in various parts of the country.

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