Udupi: Multi-storeyed building residents told to adopt rainwater harvesting

Udupi: Multi-storeyed building residents told to adopt rainwater harvesting

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, Feb 19, 2020: Deputy Commissioner G. Jagadeesha said on Tuesday that all residential multi-storeyed buildings should give importance and adopt rainwater harvesting measures on their premises.He was speaking after inaugurating a rainwater harvesting system whose water will be used for an open well and a borewell at the Sai Radha Enclave apartments near the Police Grounds here.

 

Mr. Jagadeesha said that adopting rainwater harvesting system would help increase the water table. Besides, people would feel a sense of responsibility for usage of water when they adopted the rainwater harvesting systems. This would help address the problem of drinking water scarcity which the city faced during summer.

In places such as Kolar, people and farmers alike treated water like gold, saved it and made its optimum use. When he had earlier served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Kolar Zilla Panchayat, he was instrumental in the construction of about 700 check dams there and it had helped in water conservation, he said. Udupi district had many rivers and rivulets. But it was necessary to build check dams on these rivers in as many places. Steps were being taken towards this end. This would help in improving the water levels in water wells in such places, Mr. Jagadeesha said.

Chief Executive Officer of the Udupi Zilla Panchayat Preeti Gehlot said that Udupi district received over 4,000 mm of rain annually. But, during summer, the district faced water scarcity. Hence, it was the duty of everyone in the district to conserve water, she said.

Joseph G.M. Rebello, social worker and rainwater harvesting expert, said that rainwater from the roof of this apartment block would be allowed to flow freely from June 1 to 7 so that dirt, if any, on the roof was cleared.

After that, water from the roof would be allowed to flow into two tanks which had three layers of jelly and a layer of sponge to filter it. Then, water from these two tanks would be directed to a well and a borewell. There were 40 flats in the apartment block, he said.Executive Officer of Udupi Taluk Panchayat Mohan Raj released a logo for water conservation. Project Director of Nirmiti Kendra Arun Kumar released handbills on water conservation.