MADURAI

“Madurai Corporation will approve building plans only if there are proper rainwater harvesting structures,” said Corporation Commissioner S. Visakan, while inaugurating an awareness rally on rainwater harvesting at the Sourashtra Boys Higher Secondary School on Friday.

Over 1,000 students participated in the awareness rally which was jointly organised by the Corporation along with Madurai Taxpayers Welfare Association.

With the initiation of Jal Shakti Abhiyan, a Central government scheme to conserve water, the Corporation has been focusing on implementation of the five aspects of the scheme - water conservation and water harvesting, rejuvenation of waterbodies, recycle and reuse of waste water, intensive afforestation and creating awareness among the public.

As part of the scheme, the Corporation has undertaken an exercise to inspect as many as 3.20 lakh assessments to check for the availability of rainwater harvesting systems (RWH). As of August 3, it has been identified that 26,571 buildings do not have rainwater harvesting structures.

“On August 8, Avalanche recorded a rainfall of 91 cm, which is more than the annual rainfall of Madurai city. So in the current cycle, the intensity of rainfall would be high for a short duration and it is highly essential to conserve the rainfall,” says B. Saravana Kumar from DHAN Foundation.

It is highly essential to erect rainwater harvesting structures, ahead of the monsoon season, says S. Rajamohan, an expert in the field. “It is also important to de-clog the existing rainwater harvesting structures to ensure that rainwater reaches the recharge point,” he adds.

The clear passage of rainwater from the beginning to the end is essential for systematic conservation of rainfall. It is essential to have rainwater harvesting structures, clear stormwater drains connecting towards the water tanks, say experts.

A brief spell of rain leaves the roads inundated mainly due to the incomplete construction of stormwater drains, points out R. Venkatasamy, former Superintending Engineer of the State government. “The drains were not constructed following proper rules and in most cases, the gradient is against the natural slope of the terrain,” he adds.

About the water bodies, Mr. Visakan said that the Corporation is preparing a detailed project report regarding the revamping of Corporation ooranis (ponds) in the city.