When the 750-odd families housed in police quarters at the Armed Reserve (AR) police complex faced the worst water crisis this year after the failure of monsoon, the district police did not look up to the government but swung into action to quench the thirst after creating their own water source.
After the more than dozen wells inside the AR complex here dried up and an acute water shortage loomed large, senior police officers led by Superintendent of Police N. Manivannan and Additional SP (headquarters) T. Inbamani discussed the crisis and decided to find a way out.
They required about 7.50 lakh litres of water a day and the task of digging a pond inside the complex to tackle the water crisis was entrusted with Mr. Inbamani. Many were sceptical when the work began in full swing in early February. In just 20 days, the ADSP with an agriculture background, dug the massive 75,000 square-foot pond with the help of a Hyderabad-based private company.
Advance machineries were pressed into service and when they went three metres deep, water started gushing in from all corners, much to the glee of the officers and the men. “Nature blessed us with replenishing water springs. When the water turned out potable, there was no limit to our joy,” Mr. Inbamani who spent nearly 14 hours, monitoring every inch of the digging, said. Now, the pond has 9,000 cubic metres of water with the water level touching 8 feet and the level kept rising every day, he said.
“This is the dream come true for us and the credit goes to Mr. Inbamani,” says Mr. Manivannan. It was very pleasing to see the tank brimming with water, when several parts of the arid district remained parched, he said. The SP had no doubt that the tank would permanently solve the water problem at the complex.
“This is unbelievable,” said Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Kapil Saratkar after visiting the pond recently. Awaiting formal inauguration, water is being pumped into nearby wells and supplied to the quarters from overhead tanks, Mr. Inbamani said. Two pathways – one in the inner ring and the other on the outer were being laid, he said. He has also drawn up plans to plant tree saplings outside the bunds, and grass and crotons to add more colour and greenery.
Before digging the pond, police had removed four truck loads of plastic wastes and tons of seemai karuvelam trees from the surrounding areas. Soon, the AR complex would become a plastic-free zone, he added.
