THE city is headed for a severe water crisis in the next 10 years if the government doesn’t take immediate steps to make rainwater harvesting mandatory.
A study conducted by the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) has found that groundwater levels are dropping all across the city, with the decline being the sharpest in the southern sectors.
While there is a slight increase in surface-level water, this is not potable and can be used for washing purposes only.
In the southern sectors (Sector 31 and onwards), the groundwater level is dropping at the rate of 3 metres every year. The northern sectors (Sectors 1-12, 26) are a little better, with a fall of 2 metres annually, while the best news is from the middle sectors (Sectors 14-30, except 26)-here the groundwater level is falling by 1 metre every year.
The study was conducted in Sector 46, Central Scientific Instruments Organisation in Sector 30 and the CGWB premises in Sector 27.
The surface-level water (in shallow acquifers), however, is showing a rising trend. The best news comes from Sector 10 (a rise of 0.64 metre every year), followed by Sector 46 (0.27 metre) and Burail village (0.24 metre).
Confirming the fall in groundwater levels, CGWB Director C P Srivastava said these can be raised through rainwater harvesting. He advised the administration to have a provision in building bylaws making rainwater harvesting in rooftops of high-rise buildings of group housing societies mandatory, apart from in houses built by the Chandigarh Housing Board and other government buildings.
Srivastava also recommended a dual piping system, providing separate pipes for water to be used for drinking and for washing, bathing and other purposes. For the latter, surface water can be tapped using shallow tubewells.
Punjab Superintending Engineer and a water management expert, G S Dhillon, agrees with Srivastava. Urging both the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh and UT Administration to act soon, he said the water level in Sukhna choe (rivulet) is also good and can be used for drinking purposes, especially at the IT Park and surrounding villages.
Posted By Staff Reporter
in Featured, Punjab News
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