Forest dept’s Ghata flood control project still in limbo

Water harvesting units have been proposed to control floods during the monsoon. although the proposal was submitted to MCG in October 2016, it is yet to be approved.

The proposal to set up five water harvesting units in Ghata village is in limbo as civic bodies are unable to decide on the expenditure and feasibility of the project. The project was supposed to start in September 2016.

The 350-acre Ghata jheel in Sector 58 was once counted among the biggest natural water bodies of the city. But rapid urbanisation has eaten into its area. (Parveen Kumar/HT FILE)

Water harvesting units have been proposed to control floods in Gurgaon during the monsoon. The current proposal by the forest department estimates the project cost at ₹2.15 crore. Though the proposal was submitted by the forest department to MCG in October 2016, it is yet to be approved.

Officials said that the expenditure for the project is yet to be approved.“We have got the proposal from the forest department and we will start the work soon. We have to finalise the expenditure for the project before that, though,” D Suresh, divisional commissioner of Gurgaon, said.

According to the proposal by MCG, an estimate of ₹14 crore was proposed, to construct 250 structures. However, a committee headed by D Suresh, the divisional commissioner of Gurgaon, in July, sought a report from the forest department regarding the project feasibility.

The proposed 250 sites were monitored and measured to make an accurate estimate of the project. An expert committee, headed by Dr SS Grewal, senior consultant, soil and moisture conservation, Chandigarh, stated that it did not find any major water overflow from the Aravallis that contributed substantially to flooding of the city.

As per the recommendations of the committee, none of the proposed points was feasible for construction of big dams or water harvesting structures as the catchment areas have been completely urbanised.

“As the watershed areas have been reduced, there is no need for large expenditure as estimated earlier by MCG,” Grewal said.

Ghata lake, a seasonal water body, was documented in the Gazette of India (1883). The natural lake and the bundh were filled with water until five years ago with a depth of more than 50 feet. The five water harvesting units were proposed to hold the run-off from the Aravalli hills. The run-off water usually leads to waterlogging in areas adjacent to Ghata, Wazirabad, Silani, Haiderpur Viran, Chakkarpur and Nathupur.