Reserving & harnessing Ggm's groundwater reserves is top priority of govt, says Khattar

Gurugram: While presenting the report card of 100 days of its government, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar mentioned that preserving and harnessing Gurugram and south Haryana's groundwater reserves was the top priority of his government.

To achieve the daunting task the public agencies in Gurugram have begun to take several measures. To begin with there are plans to build 41 sewage treatment plants (STP). The capacity of these STP's will range from 25,50 to 100 kilolitres per day. The treated water from these plants will be used in parks and for other horticultural purposes.

It is important to note that to tackle the city's pollution the civic agencies in Gurugram are preparing for a green drive in various parts of the city. Efforts are also being undertaken to revive the city's defunct water bodies. For this Gurujal, a body that has been formed by the public-private partnership was formed in the year 2019. Eight months after its formation, three water bodies in and around Gurugram have been revived partially. There are plans to revive over 100 such water bodies in the Gurugram district.

For making sure that water bodies in the city remain replenished, there are plans by the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) and Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) to connect at least 13 water bodies with stormwater drain.

If implemented this would ensure that the water bodies will be filled with water throughout the year. The Gurugram civic agencies have also earmarked certain ponds whose excess area will be used for the development of parks and cycling tracks. Real estate development and rapid urbanisations have resulted in most of the areas of ponds being converted into an area for commercial usage.

According to Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) officials, 47 of the identified waterbodies are tanks, and 135 are water bodies that have not been found in survey records and need further analysis.

According to GMDA, there are 644 waterbodies, covering an area of approximately 1,142 acres including 124 main water bodies. The officials of the department of town and country and planning have already taken action against certain builders for not developing rain harvesting pits in their complexes. Even as officials of public agencies reaffirm the commitment to preserve the groundwater reserves there are still complaints of illegal borewells being dug at various parts of the city. The latest complaint was received from Ulhawas village near the Golf Course extension road.