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Need to maintain continuity in efforts

Water harvesting by digging pits in soil is not a long-term solution to preventing water scarcity. Although we get fairly good rain every year, we still experience water scarcity in summer. The reason is global warming. Greening the land is the ultimate solution to water scarcity. Social forestry as well as checking the depletion of forest cover are vital. Ecological importance should be taught to children formally and informally by teachers and parents. Awareness of the importance of trees in making and retaining good climate should also be propagated.

Sidharthen Thiruthiyad

Kozhikode

Rainwater harvesting has, of late, become unaffordable for the middle income group. There is ample scope for local self-government bodies or the Nirmithi Kendras to take up this venture to enhance its affordability to the common man. The State government, in turn, can help in development of infrastructure of small-scale industries and promote the works by instituting admissible subsidies in materials and cost of installation.

What needs to be kept in mind is that bore wells and rainwater harvesting cannot go hand in hand. While rainwater harvesting raises the ground water level, it is the reverse with bore wells. Keeping in mind the State’s biomass and geography, use of bore well should be abandoned.

A permanent bonus should be instituted for those domestic consumers who take up sustainable rainwater harvesting. They should be given attractive rebates in electricity and water charges, building tax and so on.

M. Narayanankutty

Palakkad

Rains were abundant this year. But come summer and water shortage will be severe as ever, if not worse. The reason for the shortage is the depletion of the water table. The mindless sand-mining is nothing less than suicidal. The existing laws to prevent this menace are not being implemented properly. Another reason is the filling up of natural water bodies in the name of development. Rainwater is not allowed to percolate into the earth as it runs off to the sea in the absence of sizeable water collecting areas.

Another reason is the tendency to lay concrete paving slabs to cover the earth surrounding buildings and houses. This prevents water from percolating below.

A new law is needed to prevent filling up of existing water bodies. Another may be enacted to prevent or control paving of areas where rainwater falls. The existing laws regarding sand-mining and rainwater harvesting need to be strictly implemented. These measures, if taken up with a positive frame of mind, will certainly yield results in the years to come.

Desi Matthai

Maradu

As every year at the peak of monsoon, the dams are brimming. Now, the next course will be to raise the shutters of the dams and the water will flow into the sea. When summer comes, we will again be short of water.

What we need at the government level is to formulate schemes to install check dams throughout the length and breadth of the State, so that no water is lost. Water harvesting at the household-level will have to be implemented. It should be made mandatory for new constructions. The schemes at the government as well as the popular level will have to be coordinated. An awareness program should be mooted at the government and the non-governmental organisation-level. Only by imaginative but pragmatic steps can we recharge the soil and ensure continuous availability of water.

V.P. Ramesan

Thripunithura

The much-acclaimed rainwater harvesting programme as envisaged by the government would have been effective to recharge the soil and ensure continuous availability of water had it been implemented properly with continued supervision.

In a sense, the scheme replaces water bodies such as tanks and canals that existed all over the State, providing water to meet the needs of the people, including drinking and irrigation. Maximum conservation of rainwater preventing its free flow is the only way to recharge ground water. Concerted efforts at both the government and the popular level have to be continued for the purpose. Pits, tanks or wells must be constructed widely and scientifically and subjected to inspection by the officials concerned from time to time. The government should provide financial as well as technical assistance to financially weaker sections of society for their construction. At the same time, people should be made fully aware of the necessity for conservation of water without wastage.

V. Viswanathan Nambiar

Thrissur

Rainwater harvesting was scarcely implemented this year despite the good rain. The Government seems to have paid scant attention to urging the people to take it up with enthusiasm.

It is advisable to set up a permanent working committee at the block levels so as to implement it effectively. Scarcity of water was not experienced much this year owing to the good rain. But the situation could turn around next year, with the world reeling under the impact of global warming. Hence, no efforts should be spared in implementing rain water harvesting.

Krishna K

Maradu

To highlight the importance of rainwater harvesting and the seriousness with which the we deal with it, I would like to point out that in Thripunithura, there is a pond called Anakkulam with a surface area of at least 2,500 sq. m. This pond belongs to the Cochin Devaswom Board. It has an underground drainage channel going under the road connected to the nearest drainage. After nearly a month of monsoon rain, when the water level rises, it drains out through this channel and the pond never fills up. The southern side of the pond is in a sorry state. If this is built up and the channel closed with a sluice arrangement to let the water out during unusually heavy monsoon like in this year, the water collected will be a huge contribution to the ground water reserve.

Capt. R.K. Iyer

Thripunithura

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