Neither the brunt of acute water shortage nor the regular grievances of city residents could bring the change, when it comes to adopting feasible methods for conserving water. In spite of receiving rounds of warning from the senior officials and leaders, the civic body personnel are yet to move an inch to set up the community rainwater harvesting systems at different wards of State’s biggest Urban Local Body (ULB).
Notably, the idea of establishing community rainwater harvesting setups at various wards was proposed way back considering the status of depleting ground water level here in the capital city.
Ironically, the elected representatives including the officials associated with RMC--Water Section could not clarify their stance about this much needed project. “At present, I have no idea of community rainwater harvesting work progress. A few months back, the Municipal Corporation had completed the task of demarcating the prime spots where the community rainwater system will be decked up. The work order for this project is yet to be taken up,” said Deputy Mayor, Sanjiv Vijayawargia.
On the other hand, a few ward councilors stated that after receiving the revised proposal of community rainwater harvesting, the Municipal Corporation seemed to have shelved the project.
“As per the earlier proposal, the community rainwater harvesting was to be setup in each ward. However, the project was revised. According to the latest plan, the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) has identified a few dead bore-well to setup community rainfall harvesting but till date, no serious attempt has been taken up by RMC to install community rainwater system at the identified locations,” said Ward Councilor of 26 and the president of RMC Standing Committee, Arun Jha.
According to the revised plan, as many as 20 spots have been identified for setting up community rainwater harvesting systems. Moreover, the proposal of setting up community rainwater harvesting systems had received a collective consent of the ward councilors as well as all officials in 2016.
During the tenure of Former Municipal Commissioner, Prashant Kumar, the first community rainwater system was formally inaugurated on the premises of Zila School, Shaheed Chowk in the presence of Mayor Asha Lakra, Deputy Mayor Sanjiv Vijayawargia including others. However, the setup which marked the beginning of promoting the much needed water conservation technique across the State Capital at present is lying defunct with Municipal Corporation paying no heed towards its maintenance.
The issue of constructing community rainwater harvesting system is being taken up continuously in the wake of severe water crisis that continues to haunt the city residents even after summer season. Rajya Sabha MP Mahesh Poddar too had lambasted RMC officials over delay in constructing community rainwater harvesting a few months back during the monthly RMC board meet.
