Enhance sewage recycling, restore lakes and ponds: Centre for Science and Environment
GURGAON: It's no small task reversing the perennial water crisis that this city is now known to be suffering, a crisis that only promises to deteriorate in the coming years. But to resolve even as mighty a problem, some start needs to be made somewhere. The new water use report for Gurgaon, prepared by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), appears to be a good starting point if the authorities are serious about addressing Gurgaon's water concerns.
The report, titled 'Wise Water Use in Gurgaon,' the fruit of around two months of surveying that the CSE team carried out in various parts of the city. "HUDA officials had asked us to help them prepare a plan to improve sewage treatment. We decided to make it a more comprehensive affair," said Nitya Jacob, director of the CSE's water programme, who headed the four-member team that worked on the report.
The report recommends, with specifics outlined, steps that the civic authorities can realistically take in the short term. These include enhancing the sewage recycling capacity, restoring lakes and ponds in the region, and setting up three water harvesting sanctuaries, all of which, if implemented, will help the city meet around 50% of its water needs in the future.
"We have proposed that the water sanctuaries should stretch from Manesar to the MG road in three different patches. Restoration of the Ghata lake is also strongly recommended," Jacob said.
The Ghata lake in Sector 58 is a seasonal water-body that has taken the full brunt of unrestrained urban development. The report says the 'feeder channels and the catchment area' for this lake 'have been blocked/concretized by new development and construction of roads.'
The other significant finding pertains to HUDA's two sewage treatment plants - Behrampur and Dhanwapur. "My team visited these plants twice, and the STPs don't seem to have been working," Jacob said. The samples of water that the team took before and after treatment showed 'no visible difference in quality.' At the moment, the CSE is yet to schedule a meeting with the civic authorities and determine a viable follow-up to this report. "We will be presenting the report to both the MCG and HUDA, and will highlight the specifics that they need to start with in order to take these recommendations forward," he added.
Source - TOI - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/gurgaon/Enhance-sewage-recycling-restore-lakes-and-ponds-Centre-for-Science-and-Environment/articleshow/22131747.cms
The report, titled 'Wise Water Use in Gurgaon,' the fruit of around two months of surveying that the CSE team carried out in various parts of the city. "HUDA officials had asked us to help them prepare a plan to improve sewage treatment. We decided to make it a more comprehensive affair," said Nitya Jacob, director of the CSE's water programme, who headed the four-member team that worked on the report.
The report recommends, with specifics outlined, steps that the civic authorities can realistically take in the short term. These include enhancing the sewage recycling capacity, restoring lakes and ponds in the region, and setting up three water harvesting sanctuaries, all of which, if implemented, will help the city meet around 50% of its water needs in the future.
"We have proposed that the water sanctuaries should stretch from Manesar to the MG road in three different patches. Restoration of the Ghata lake is also strongly recommended," Jacob said.
The Ghata lake in Sector 58 is a seasonal water-body that has taken the full brunt of unrestrained urban development. The report says the 'feeder channels and the catchment area' for this lake 'have been blocked/concretized by new development and construction of roads.'
The other significant finding pertains to HUDA's two sewage treatment plants - Behrampur and Dhanwapur. "My team visited these plants twice, and the STPs don't seem to have been working," Jacob said. The samples of water that the team took before and after treatment showed 'no visible difference in quality.' At the moment, the CSE is yet to schedule a meeting with the civic authorities and determine a viable follow-up to this report. "We will be presenting the report to both the MCG and HUDA, and will highlight the specifics that they need to start with in order to take these recommendations forward," he added.
Source - TOI - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/gurgaon/Enhance-sewage-recycling-restore-lakes-and-ponds-Centre-for-Science-and-Environment/articleshow/22131747.cms