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Experts: More work needed before Kukrail river can recharge ground water
“Removing concrete encroachment is the first step towards the ultimate goal of unblocking the natural aquifer in the river bed. Hence the authorities now need to ensure all the rubble and concrete structures below the surface are also pulled out and removed to leave only soil at the place they wish to develop for eco-tourism,” said Prof Vibhuti Rai of the department of geology, in Lucknow University.
LUCKNOW: Its a long and five-step journey to a proper flow and ground water recharge for river Kukrail which the administration has just freed from encroachment over an area of 10-lakh sq feet, equal to a space that can accommodate at least 15 football fields.
“Removing concrete encroachment is the first step towards the ultimate goal of unblocking the natural aquifer in the river bed. Hence the authorities now need to ensure all the rubble and concrete structures below the surface are also pulled out and removed to leave only soil at the place they wish to develop for eco-tourism,” said Prof Vibhuti Rai of the department of geology, in Lucknow University.
Prof Rai, who has done an indepth study on rocks and soil said, “In the next step, a barrage has to be built, may be a small one, to ensure that during the monsoon water stays for sometime to allow sources of ground water recharge to open up, which were blocked since decades due to encroachment. Unless this is done, the purpose of ground water recharge will be defeated.”
“River restoration projects in Gomti river in Lucknow or the Sabarmati river in Ahmedabad have incorporated grey infrastructure, like concretising the river banks, to manage the river. This essentially converts a natural river to a controlled water channel, reducing its flooding capacity and damaging essential flora and fauna. This needs to be avoided entirely here,” said Mitali Kumar, a landscape architect.
“Make sure 100-mts on both the banks of the river have only soil and plants or grass while all sewage flowing is filtered via STP. At present at least 10 waste water drain are flowing into Kukrail river from Indira Nagar, Jankipuram and other places,” said Prof Rai.
The experts also suggested that ground water level of the area around river Kukrail be measured at present and then post monsoon to check whether or not the target of improving level of ground water had been achieved .
“Implementing nature-based solutions in river restoration instead of manmade grey infrastructure can help nature recover and natural hydromorphological processes thrive. Examples of these include but are not limited to wetland restoration, reforesting river catchments and bioengineered river banks,” said Kumar.
