The State Ground Water Authority (SGWA) will evolve systems to prescribe threshold limits of groundwater and issue advisory to major consumers on the limit upto which water could be drawn. SGWA will also ensure that there is no overdrawing of groundwater beyond the permitted level, Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi said.
According to a release from Raj Nivas, as part of the field visit on ‘Mission Puducherry Water Rich,’ the 168th weekend visit was made on Sunday to the site of major water consuming institution and an industry. Ms. Bedi travelled in a PRTC bus accompanied by officers from the Public Works Department, SGWA and the Department of Science, Technology and Environment.
A chart on groundwater table prepared by the PWD revealed that the groundwater table at Kalapet and Sedrapet had depleted the most. The PWD and the SGWA were asked to guide the Pondicherry University and the Pondicherry Engineering College in creating better water harvesting structures to capture rainwater.
Ms. Bedi said that the visit to an industry — MRF — and an institution — Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institution —revealed stark comparison on water management. Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institution did not have sufficient water harvesting structure to capture rainwater. The institution did not have proper systems in place, which would indicate watertable monitoring practices.
On the other hand, MRF had a proper system in place. The company had a comprehensive water management system which depicted the watertable data, water balance sheet, water conservation activity plan, major conservation activities undertaken during the year.
The company also had a plan of water generation and conservation, zero balance system, use of drip irrigation of recycle water and use of sewerage treatment for industrial processing by further treatment that had substantially reduced per capita consumption of water for every tyre manufactured by them.
The visiting team comprising of Chief Engineer of PWD and SGWA will promote the good practices followed by MRF to all other industries and make it an integral part of the terms and conditions of sinking tube wells.
It was also proposed to celebrate Van Mahotsav on July 7 by bringing together major water consuming industries/institutions and leading farmers to share and learn the best practices to make Puducherry water rich.