Take rain-water harvesting seriously

KOLKATA, Aug. 27. — Mere pronouncements aren’t enough. The state government ought to be more serious and proactive while implementing mandatory rainwater harvesting for new high-rise buildings. This was the essence of the messages speakers at a seminar on rainwater harvesting sought to convey today.

Mr Khokan Mukherji, president, Concern for Calcutta at a seminar on rainwater harvesting and green buildings on Saturday said that scarcity of water is an impending problem and requires immediate action. He further said that the organisation would send the minutes of the seminar to Kolkata Municipal Corporation.

The KMC’s plan to pioneer rain water harvesting systems at its own premises is a laudable effort but provisions for rain water harvesting should be made mandatory for any new building complex, he said.

The excessive use of ground water resources has reduced the ground water level by 5-7 metre in the industrial area, 7-10 metre in the central part of the city and 12-15 metre in rural areas.
Speaking on the occasion Prof Sudip Bandyopadhyay, chairman, West Bengal Pollution Control Board said that rain water harvesting should be done both in the urban as well as rural sectors.

In order to implement the technology one should have an understanding of groundwater conditions, meteorological variations and possess proper documentation of the process, said Dr S P Sinha Roy, member, centre for groundwater studies ITC and HINDALCO have successfully implemented the technique of rainwater harvesting at their companies.

Being the purest form of water, rain water can be used exclusively for drinking purposes. Chlorination and filtration by Zero B makes rain water drinkable, said Mr Anwar Kamal, principal specialist and coordinator, Action for Food Production, task force, Guwahati. However while collecting rain water one should be careful in letting the initial showers to pass away, he added.