Water table
Declining level of water table in the city had people wondering what to do! Finally rain gods smiled and the rainwater harvesting projects led to an increase in the water table by 1.08 meters, within just five months. Gurgaon Plus reports
Rakesh Malik Gurgaon
It is always said that ’god helps those who help themselves’, and this has proved quite true in the case of Gurgaonites. The efforts of the residents, residents’ welefare associations (RWAs) and citizen groups to increase level of water table in the city with the help of measures as rainwater harvesting seem to have been supported well by the rain gods.
Due to good rainfall and effective capturing and harvesting of rainwater, the water table in Gurgaon has shown an improvement of approximately 1.08 meters in last half a year.
As per the records of Hydrological Department, the average water table in Gurgaon was at 27.25 meters in June 2008, while this level came slightly upwards at 26.17 meters in October 2008. This shows that the water level in the district has improved by 1.08 meters during a period of five months. On block wise analysis, it was found that Gurgaon block registered an improvement of 1.95 meters when the water level reached 32.65 meters in October 2008 from 34.60 meters in June in the same year. Similarly, the water table in Farukhnagar Block came up by 0.40 meters from a depth of 18.40 meters to 18 meters. Water level in Pataudi Block came up from 31.50 meters to 30.15 meters during this period, showing an improvement of 1.35 meters and Sohna Block registered an improvement of 0.60 meters from 24.50 meters in June 2008 to 23.90 meters in October 2008.
The department maintains that the improvement has been possible due to good rainfall and the mass adoption of rainwater harvesting measures in the district. Talking about the figures released by the Hydrological Department and replenishment of the groundwater table in the city, Deputy Commissioner Deepti Umashankar said, "We are happy that there has been some improvement in the groundwater table in the district. This should act as a positive incentive for the residents as well as the government agencies that have been working hard towards it. The residents should themselves continue to adopt rooftop rainwater harvesting system in their premises. They should also educate others about the positives of this system. Harvesting of rainwater has been picking up in the city and we are hopeful that the water table will report a further increase in the days to come."
It is interesting to note that Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) had in year 2001 declared south and south-west districts of NCT Delhi, Municipal Corporation of Faridabad and Ballabgarh, Municipal Corporation Ghaziabad, Gurgaon Town and adjoining industrial areas of Gurgaon district as ’notified areas’ in view of depletion of ground water resources due to its over exploitation and deterioration in ground water quality.
The Central Ground Water Authority under section 5 of Environment Protection Act 1986, had directed all residential societies, institutions, hotels, industrial establishments located in these areas to adopt the rooftop rain water harvesting system in their premises.
Continuing with the work to replenish the ground water table, Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) had also made rules under regulation 81A of Haryana Urban Development Authority (Erection of Buildings) regulations 1979.
Umashankar also informed that arrangement of rooftop rain water harvesting was made mandatory to obtain completion certificate in buildings where the area of roof is 100 sq meters or more and the stringent implementation of the rules is being done in the district.
The district administration is appealing people to adopt rooftop rain water harvesting system in their premises.
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