Kerala   

Need to maintain continuity in efforts PEOPLESPEAK

Last year, the government took the initiative and motivated the people to harvest rainwater. But it is crucial that we conserve rainwater every year.

There are many wells and bore wells across the State. As a result, a lot of ground water is consumed every day. Rain water harvesting is the only means to replenish this loss. It should be made mandatory. This year, nature has been very generous but in the absence of rainwater harvesting efforts, water shortage seems very likely in the summer months ahead.

N. Ramachandran

Vakkom

Kerala enjoys abundant annual precipitation and 44 rivers crisscross the State. The peculiar topographical features of the State impede recharging of ground water and most of the rainwater runs off to sea. As a result, many areas face acute shortage of water during the summer months. It is sad that water conservation methods such as rainwater harvesting, building check dams across rivers, preservation of water bodies and so on have not attracted the sustained attention of our policy makers and the people alike. Perhaps, the people have been lulled into a sense of complacency that the monsoon rains will take care of our water needs.

One cannot predict what global climate change has in store for the State. Therefore, harvesting of rainwater assumes significance in order to ensure that future generations are not exposed to the social and economic consequences of lack of adequate water. Though it is mandatory for new constructions to provide for rainwater harvesting systems, it is doubtful whether the law has been implemented in letter and spirit.

Priority has to be accorded to promote water harvesting in areas prone to drought-like situations in the summer months. Campaigns on television and in newspapers will popularise the concept. The Kerala Water Authority and the local bodies have to take the initiative to educate the people about the need to implement water harvesting in individual homes and to provide technical support.

Tamil Nadu has been successful in implementing rainwater systems. Therefore, it is better to examine the methodologies and technologies adopted there. However, considering the abundance of rainfall, small size of homesteads and the geographical features that force run off, the State can also focus on storage of rainwater instead of merely recharging the ground. Considering the expenses involved, suitable concessions in building taxes may be considered for those who have put in place rainwater harvesting systems.

Wetlands and other water bodies have to be simultaneously preserved as these can receive and store large amounts of storm water. Indiscriminate mining of sand from rivers has to be stopped.

V.N. Mukundarajan

Thiruvananthapuram

Rainwater harvesting was started in the State with much fanfare but has failed to take off. A proposal to harvest rainwater, convert it into potable water and supply it to neighbouring drought-affected areas would have made the State water authority a profit.

Water is a precious natural resource that is being wasted by thoughtless administrators who should conserve water when it is available and use it within the State and even sell it outside. People with less natural bounty and rain are better managers of rainwater than us.

Water management as a scheme is studied and implemented at the water management research centre in Kozhikode but its research findings have not been fully utilised commercially. What is wasted during the monsoon is not only water but also money which could have been realised with a little imagination and initiative. At least now, we should formulate a policy on how to make commercial use of rainwater.

K.P. Karunakaran Nair General secretary Confederation of Residents’ Associations, Trivandrum

As the State gets reasonably good rainfall during the two monsoons, rainwater harvesting, if properly and strictly implemented, will be of immense benefit.

Frequent pipe-bursts and drying up of wells during summer pose great problems. The wastage of rainwater through drainage systems and the problem of stagnant water becoming a breeding ground for mosquitoes can be minimised by having rainwater tanks in each household and on government and other private buildings and in schools.

The government should set up community rainwater tanks at the panchayat level. It should also make it mandatory to have soil recharging systems using rainwater in each house. This will help maintain greenery and the ground water level and minimise water pollution.

People should be advised to use rainwater for washing and other household purposes rather than drinking to ensure continuous availability of water.

Owing to global warming and climate change, rainfall may not remain the same in the years to come and so it is important to conserve water and soil by rainwater harvesting.

Raising of dam heights, campaigning at all levels, deploying social service units in schools and in society, and approving building plans containing provisions for rainwater tanks should form part of effective implementation strategy by the government.

M.P. Madaswamy

Thiruvananthapuram

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

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

During the rainy season, almost 90 per cent of the rain water runs off to the sea and no one bothers about harvesting it. The media, time and again, has focussed on this issue, but to no avail. When drought comes, everyone starts talking about the need for water harvesting. But why not try to harvest water now? Why not use rooftops for water harvesting? If we store water now, we can use it when water shortage becomes common.

S.N. Thiruvazhiode

Kochi

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.

Owing to lack of proper follow-up action by the authorities, the rain harvesting system has been jeopardised.

This season, the State received ample rain, which was enough not only to increase the availability of surface water but also ground water through seepage. Had the harvesting facility been properly maintained with popular support, it could have been utilised for long.

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

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

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

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