Hyderabad to Build 16,000 Recharge Pits in 90 Days to Boost Groundwater

Swift Summary

• Campaign Details: Teh Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply & Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) is launching a 90-day special action drive, titled Intiko Inkudu Guntha, to construct 16,000 groundwater recharge pits.
• Objective: The campaign aims to augment groundwater storage in Hyderabad and areas within Outer Ring Road (ORR limits), reducing reliance on water tankers during the summer season.
• Supervision: Directed by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and overseen by Hyderabad district in-charge Minister Ponnam Prabhakar.
• Collaborative Plan: HMWS&SB is engaging NGOs and voluntary organizations to identify suitable areas for construction of rainwater harvesting pits, injection wells, and methods for modifying unused borewells.
• Public awareness Drive: Educational campaigns are being conducted in residential colonies to inform citizens about rainwater harvesting techniques.
• Monitoring Mechanism: Each recharge pit will be photographed, geo-tagged, uploaded into a mobile app database, with progress monitored via dashboards.

!Image used for representational purposes
Photo Credit: VIJAYA BHASKAR CH

Indian Opinion Analysis

The initiative underscores growing concerns around enduring water resource management amidst urbanization pressures faced by cities like Hyderabad. By combining technological tools such as geo-tagging with community collaboration through NGO partnerships and awareness drives, this campaign represents a holistic approach. The creation of 16,000 recharge pits could potentially help mitigate dependency on commercial water services during peak demand periods such as summer.However, the success of Intiko Inkudu Guntha will largely depend on proper execution at both grassroots levels (identification of suitable locations) and ongoing maintenance post-construction-a challenge noted in many similar programs nationwide. Additionally, fostering public participation will be crucial in sustaining long-term benefits from rainwater harvesting systems.

Read more at The Hindu