Most people in Kozhikode Municipal Corporation are yet to realise the necessity of rainwater harvesting and consider it a liability imposed on them by the Corporation.
Even with an 80% subsidy in setting up rainwater harvesting systems (well recharging), resident of the city are reluctant to make use of it.
“Last year, we could get only three houses each from 30 out of the 75 wards in the Corporation to make use of the subsidy,” said Rishana E.A., overseer of the Ayyankali Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme in the Corporation.
Aid of ₹8,000
The Corporation provides financial assistance worth ₹8,000, including a 300-ml water tank, the pipe fittings, and other materials, besides manpower through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. Homeowners need only to invest on the sand and metal to be laid inside the tank to filter the water. However, most of the beneficiaries find even that difficult.
“We provide subsidy mostly to BPL families or the beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) scheme. They are people from the lower strata of society, for whom ₹1,500 to ₹2,000 is a big amount,” Ms. Rishana said, adding that they had often raised the demand that the Corporation bear all the expenses for the rainwater harvesting systems. Now the Corporation has provided the subsidy to some APL families, just to demonstrate to the neighbourhood the benefits of the system.
No follow-up
On the other hand, the Town Planning wing of the Corporation makes sure that every newly constructed house has proper rainwater management methods.
However, once the department inspection is completed and the house is commissioned, the rainwater harvesting systems are often dismantled and used for other purposes. With no further inspection in order, the purpose of the rule is thus sabotaged.
However, there are people who willingly come forward to set up rainwater harvesting systems in their houses.
A few bright spots
“Nowadays, there is an increased awareness among people. Lack of rain and the subsequent scarcity of water has opened their eyes,” Ms. Rishana said, adding that they are mostly people who reside at higher altitudes, who face water scarcity during summers. “For those in low-lying lands, who have plenty of water available, it is not important,” she added.
The doubt that rainwater would contaminate the water in their wells is another reason for the public to refrain from well-recharging.
