Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai

Metrowater campaign lackadaisical: experts

By T.Ramakrishnan

CHENNAI May 10. The Government may want the rainwater harvesting (RWH) campaign to be made a people's movement but Chennai Metrowater, according to RWH activists, is not doing enough to translate this goal into reality.

According to the critics, the agency should have been in the forefront in popularising the concept further, as it is that organisation, which comes under intense pressure during water crisis. ``Their approach is lackadaisical. Metrowater does not enjoy any visibility in promoting the idea. And, it does not take along NGOs in its campaigns on the subject''.

A serious criticism levelled by the activists is that the agency does not have adequate expertise in RWH, and when it receives enquiries, the department refers them to private agencies. Sufficient infrastructure should be developed at depot level to educate the public of RWH.

Some activists, who would not like to be quoted, even fault certain RWH methods propagated by Metrowater. However, Metrowater rejects the criticism and says an action plan is being worked out for a ``vigorous campaign'' on RWH. Small- scale industries, petrol bunks and educational institutions are going to be covered besides a set of training programmes.

Since June last year, the total number of RWH structures put up both in government and private buildings in the city was about 16,000. ``Could this have been achieved without our efforts'', an official of Metrowater asks.

Till June last year, approximately 25,000 structures were installed in multi-storeyed buildings all over the city.

The agency has spent around Rs. 46 lakhs for RWH which includes Rs. 12 lakhs for publicity, printing of brochures/pamphlets and exhibitions.

But, some activists feel the RWH campaign has gathered momentum, mainly because of voluntary efforts of public-spirited citizens.

Another official of Metrowater says invariably all the Area and depot offices have got the structures. The agency put up RWH mechanism at important landmarks including Stanley Hospital, Raj Bhavan, Lady Willingdon Higher Secondary School, and 14 locations on Kamarajar Salai.

Moreover, the agency has gone in for measures for water conservation. For example, at Area-II Office in Royapuram, three million litres of water is filled on tanker-lorries and the rate of spillage during filling is two per cent, which works out to 6,000 litres. To save this amount of water, a channel has been dug along the water filling points and the channel leads to a 20- ft well, filled with brickbats. ``Through this method, whatever water going waste is being used for percolation''.

One section of the activists does not favour the grant of subsidy, as it gives invariably the scope for misuse.

Instead, the Government can order some reduction in property tax to those who have put up RWH structures. Similarly, another section says Metrowater can institute a scheme of grants to NGOs, who are seriously engaged in RWH promotion.

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