Kolkata, May 12 -- The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has decided to establish 45 underground water recharge points at various locations in the city.
The initiative is significant as experts have raised concerns about the declining groundwater levels due to excessive groundwater extraction.
"The city has been witnessing a real estate boom, and in several cases, groundwater is being lifted for catering to the demand of the residents of high-rises. Still, several residents, particularly in the added area, depend on groundwater," said a senior KMC official.
"KMC officially lifts 40 mgd of water daily, hence, the groundwater requirement in the city is huge. So we have decided to develop 45 underground recharge points," added the official. The Sewerage and Drainage department of the KMC will do the work, and in the first phase, 20 such recharge points will be set up.
The Member Mayor-in-Council (MMiC) of the KMC has already approved the decision.
The rainwater, instead of being discharged entirely into the river, will be sent underground and harvested through such underground recharge points. The KMC has identified several areas in the city for establishing underground recharge points to address water-logging.
This will curb water logging and at the same time increase the water level underground. Every recharge point will cover 450- 500 sq feet of area.
The KMC has already prepared a drawing of such recharge points.
There will be primarily a pit which will be like a chamber.
There will be some passage holes of sand and charcoal underneath through which water will be purified and channelised into another chamber beneath it. Then it will further go deep into the ground through a pipe which will be 90-95 feet deep where there is a layer of sand. Through this layer, it will further go down 800 feet through natural course. process.
The work will be carried out through funds procured from the National Disaster Management Authority .
"It will also prevent natural disasters like subsidence for the city," said an official.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.