Dist. panchayat moots well-recharge to tackle drought

Steps to be taken to de-silt unused ponds to ensure availability of drinking water

Kozhikode: In a bid to tackle drought, the Kozhikode district panchayat will initiate a well-recharging programme in association with the Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM) and grama panchayats in the district.

Announcing this at an expert committee meeting prior to the preparation of projects for 2017-18 here on Monday, district panchayat president Babu Parassery said priority would be given to preserving water bodies. Steps will be taken to de-silt unused ponds and make them available for drinking water purpose. This apart, health, agriculture, and solid waste management will be given utmost importance, he said.

Taking part in the deliberations, CWRDM scientist V.P. Dineshan said Kozhikode district had 385 ponds, and that 40 of them had an area of more than 1.25 acres each. De-silting those ponds and preserving water will ensure re-charging of wells in the vicinity. A classic example of the well-charging project initiated by CWRDM was the Kallali-Neelachira pond.

“Well-recharging is done through rain water harvesting. Up to 15 wells can be recharged in a ward through a participatory rain-water harvesting scheme. CWRDM is willing to offer technical know-how for the cost-efficient scheme,” Dr. Dineshan said.

He also suggested methods to revivify tributaries of lakes and canals. CWRDM will submit a report to the district panchayat in this regard.

“However, steps should be taken to ensure that water is free from contamination. Waste water should not be discharged into lakes. If water from lakes is used for household purposes, it should be treated. A CWRDM study had shown that 70% of ground water in Kozhikode, Balussery, and Kunnamangalam were exploited,” Dr. Dineshan said.

Speaking on the occasion, Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad president K.P. Aravindan suggested the setting up of wellness centres by the district panchayat to prevent lifestyle diseases. Abundant use of tobacco products had resulted in a rise in cancer cases.

Awareness campaigns also have an vital role to play, along with treatment and preventive measures, to combat diseases, he said.

Another expert, Mohan Manalil, suggested construction of swimming pools in all schools and promotion of cycling among students. Discarded quarries can be utilised to store water. Water cards should be issued to all households after inspecting the quality of water in wells, he said.