Chakkarpur grapples to come to terms with growing urbanisation & impending water crisis

Today, the lands which are acquired from the residents of Chakkarpur house most parts of the posh residential phases of DLF Phase 1 and Phase 4, Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) Sectors 27 and 28, Ansals Sushant Lok A block, swanky residential apartments like DLF Hamilton Court, high-end malls like Sahara and Mega mall and famous shopping destinations like DLF Galleria market.

Chakkapur, however, grapples with water crisis even as it continues to witness a lot of construction activity around the areas. Not only does the areas in and around Chakkarpur face huge waterloggings during Monsoon, the area also stares at a huge shortage of water especially during summers due to falling groundwater reserves.

A major reason cited by residents of Chakkarpur is the slowly evaporating waterbodies in the area which has resulted in no means for groundwater recharging in the area.

Inside Chakkarpur village today, the land that used to once have a village pond spread across at least over an area of space has a children’s park, a community centre, a small temple, a cowshed and a parking space for the rich villagers to park their SUVs.

One of the villagers while speaking to Millennium Post said: “In the last 15 years, the priorities of the villagers in the area have changed. The villagers have become more urbanised and business minded who want to encash the benefits of their lands.”

In emphasising that the village has not utilised its waterbodies well, the villager added: “Most of the villagers failed to anticipate the rise in population and huge construction activity which the area is now seeing. Today, not only the village pond but a traditional well too has been removed to facilitate other activities.”

It is estimated that groundwater is depleting by a meter per year in Gurgaon. Last year, due to Monsoon, entire Sector 28 was inundated which drew angry reactions from its residents.