The year draws to a close and it is time to look back and take stock of challenges and opportunities.
The water situation in Bengaluru continues to be a matter of concern. The city, having reached ceilings of water drawal possibilities from the Cauvery, had to search for alternatives. The Thyagaraja Committee report of the year past provided a blueprint but the suggestions therein are grand plans of water transfer. In the meantime citizens had to cope with a delayed monsoon but when it did pick up it did pretty well in the city. The October rains were pretty good and broke records. Thanks to the rainfall and possibly some lake rejuvenation and rainwater harvesting works, the water table actually went up in parts of the city. In Yelahanka, groundwater levels showed the maximum rise.
Signs of hope for the city and a call to redouble its efforts at rainwater harvesting and other efforts.
The true warriors of the city are its citizens. They went to court to protect lakes. They set about forming ‘friends of lakes’ groups and cleaning up the lakes. They started engaging with the government to direct investment and take up improvement works too. Many started rainwater harvesting and waste-water reuse in their homes and apartments.
The first investment tranche in the revival of the Arkavathy was spent by the Cauvery Neeravari Nigam. Many tanks and channels were de-silted and after many years, thanks also to the good rainfall, one saw tanks like Dodbelvangala and Byatha full. There was water in Hessarghatta too.
Citizen overseeing of this work was one of the main reasons for the project to take off in the first place.
Communities took up works of groundwater recharge and stepped into waste-water treatment. One community on Sarjapur road set up a 250 kilo-litre per day Phytorid or plant-based biological waste-water treatment system. It plans to use this water for non-potable use and for gardening. In more ways than one Rainbow Drive is a model for all things good with water including rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge, tariff charges and demand management and now waste-water treatment. They have shown that it is possible to be independent of Cauvery water supply and tankers for water and also be responsible enough not to pollute lakes and water bodies with their domestic effluent.
Another community in Whitefield called T Zed took things further. Insofar as one is aware this group of 91 flats and villas is the first to take its own treated waste-water to drinking water levels. They actually blend treated waste-water after R.O. with groundwater and use it for all purposes, potable and non-potable. The Chairman of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board took a swig at the waters and swore that it was safe and tasty.
That a community from Bengaluru broke the ‘yuck’ factor barrier scientifically for the whole of India should be a matter of pride for the city. A common sense approach led by a few champions and a lot of internal communication and awareness building showed that this community too can make ‘from toilet to tap’ happen and become independent of water tankers and city lines for water.
Off Magadi Road, led by a BBMP Chief Engineer committed to lake revival, a soil bio-technology plant picks up 1.5 million litres of sewage in something described as mining, treats it in a vertical biological filter and allows the water into the lake. Herohalli lake is now half full and on the road to recovery.
These water and waste-water sensitive zones are emerging all over the city. They portend a good future for a ‘Swacch-sustainable Bharat’ if given momentum.
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