Move to recharge wells and canals

Instructions for facilitating the recharge of small canals and wells have been given by Chief Development Officer (CDO) Bhavnath Singh after taking into account the the acute water crisis in the district which has resulted in lowering of ground water table.

Instructions for facilitating the recharge of small canals and wells have been given by Chief Development Officer (CDO) Bhavnath Singh after taking into account the the acute water crisis in the district which has resulted in lowering of ground water table.

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Following the instructions of District Magistrate Amrit Abhijat, Singh held discussions with the executive engineer of Laghu Sinchai Vibhag and scientists dealing with the issues of ground water table. Singh has asked for the proposal of recharging of 28,849 wells and functional and non-functional canals in the district so that funds could be collected for the purpose from various district plans and projects.

CDO laid stress on the usage of drip irrigation for farming which results in the saving of 20 percent water and 80 percent of its usage, whereas the crop yield shoots up to 30 percent.

Singh said, "The maps for the new buildings should not be passed without ensuring the facility of rain water harvesting in it. The already constructed buildings should install the rain water harvesting system soon", he said.

Singh expressed dissatisfaction over the task undertaken by private agencies for the purpose of construction of check-dams and deepening of ponds. He also termed them as technically unviable which failed to meet the need of water recharging in the district.

According to Naresh Chandra, executive engineer Laghu Sinchai Vibhag, there were altogether 28,849 wells in the district during the first five-year plan but now most of them have dried up.

Almost 75 percent of the wells still exist but only 15 percent of them are in a usable condition. "Canals too met the similar fate and with the passage of time most of them have been levelled up," he added.

Chandra further elaborated on the process through which the recharging will be done. "A well will require the expenditure of Rs 5000-6000 for recharging. The process requires deepening the base and then placing the layers of stones followed by nylon sheet which will be covered with thick sand and then the final layer will be of thin sand. This will help in filtering the recharged water.

Likewise, wells will be dug in the base of canals and they will be equipped with the water filtering facility," he added.

According to Chandra, the water table in Allahabad district is better that other areas under the Allahabad division.