Gurgaon: MCG pushes for more rainwater harvesting pits before monsoon

The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has flagged concerns over the city’s dipping water table

Gurgaon deputy commissioner Hardeep Singh has directed all executive engineers of the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) to clear rain water harvesting pits, in consultation with RWAs, and submit an action taken report at the earliest.

The initiative holds importance as hydrologists claim that more than 50 percent of city’s water is extracted from the ground. (HT FILE PHOTO)

The deputy commissioner’s orders comes less than a week after Haryana chief secretary DS Dhesi held a meeting with civic body officials and directed them to finish monsoon preparations in advance to ensure last year’s waterlogging and drainage crisis are not repeated this time around.

Deputy commissioner Hardeep Singh is currently filling the role of MCG commissioner, in the absence of V Umashankar who is on vacation.

As per MCG officials, prior to the deputy commissioner’s order, they had already started work on rainwater harvesting pits and initiated awareness programs at DLF Phase 4, South City 1 and 2, Sectors 7, 10A, 21 and 22 with Gurgaon Action Plan (GAP), a city-based NGO.

“Gurgaon civic body executive engineers are visiting areas across the city for identifying potential rainwater harvesting pits and making them operational prior to the arrival of monsoon. Recycling not only provides water during scarcity but also ensures that the city’s dependency on its declining water table is reduced,” SS Rohilla, spokesperson of MCG said.

Read I Three-day awareness drive on rainwater harvesting held in Gurgaon

The CSE also claimed that if corrective action is not initiated, then the city’s underground water table can run dry in a few decades.

After last year’s waterlogging crisis during the monsoon, state and civic officials have been setting deadlines and issuing multiple directions to ensure there is no repeat.

Last week, MCG commissioner V Umashankar directed National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to complete all drainage system-related projects on the Delhi-Gurgaon expressway before June 15.

Two months ago, Haryana chief secretary Dhesi had directed civic officials to review monsoon preparations and sought the government’s assistance in obtaining extra funds and manpower, if required.