BMCconstructs35wellsforrainwaterharvestingatShivajiPark

In a bid to tackle the issue of dust pollution and to promote rainwater harvesting to protect the green cover at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Udyan (Shivaji Park) in Dadar (West), the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has constructed 35 underground wells.

This project is part of BMC's ambitious Shivaji Park revamp program announced to relieve locals from the ongoing dust problems. Due to the diminishing groundwater level, the civic administration is finding it troublesome to protect the green cover of the park. The dust particles have become airborne and often enter the houses in its periphery. The solution to prevent the dust from being airborne is to keep the grounds wet. To maintain the grass, they would require 2.64 lakh litres of water per day.

"We have constructed 35 groundwater wells. These wells will provide potable water throughout the year and the water capacity inside the tanks will be recharged during the monsoon every year," Kiran Dighavkar, assistant municipal commissioner and in-charge of G

North (GN) ward, which covers the entire Dadar area, said.

Dighavkar said, apart from the well, an underground pipeline network will also be created to channel the water. "All the wells collectively will have a capacity to provide approximately 3 to 4 lakh litres of water daily. We are working so that we can activate the rainwater system before monsoon this year. Shivaji Park will then have its own source of natural water," Dighavkar said.

Vishakha Raut, Shiv Sena corporator from this constituency, said that the dust problem is a serious issue for the people residing near the ground. Many senior citizens have developed asthma because of this.

"Shivaji Park is spread over 1 lakh square meters of area. At times, getting 10 water tankers is also not adequate to keep the ground wet. This is why having its own water catchment tank was necessary for this area," Raut told FPJ.