Nagpur: All primary healthcare centres (PHCs) of Nagpur zilla parishad will be equipped with rainwater harvesting pits and solar-powered piped water supply by next year. Work has already begun on these and ZP officials plan to construct the same infrastructure at all buildings administered by them.
ZP CEO Yogesh Kumbhejkar said, “Our target is to install around a thousand rainwater harvesting (RWH) pits. PHCs are a priority because constant water supply is needed there. As we all know, groundwater level is fast depleting and hence the urgency over it.”
Funds for this project will come from grants given under the 15th finance commission.
Kumbhejkar said “We want that in every gram panchayat this RWH project should be implemented.”
On Friday, the CEO inspected the work being done at Nagardhan and Bhandarbodi (Ramtek) primary healthcare centres. In these places for RWH a special recharge filter media has been used, say ZP officials. This is expected to save them space and incur lower maintenance cost.
ZP has also implemented the solar-powered drinking water supply project in Mouza Udapur. Kumbhejkar said “I visited Udapur and interacted with villagers. They were very happy because now running water is available even if there is no electricity to draw the ground water. Earlier in case of power cut, the hand pump had to be used. Now due to solar, that problem is solved.”
This project is also part of central government’s Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM). The ultimate aim of JJM is to have piped water in every household by 2024.
An awareness campaign is being run by the central government under #JalShaktiAbhiyan for water conservation and rainwater harvesting till November. An official media statement from JJM clearly mentions that “water conservation and groundwater recharge is of utmost importance” for their campaign to ensure water security.
At the national level, the 15th finance commission has recommended an allocation of Rs2.36 lakh crore to rural local bodies for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26.
Of this, 40% of the recommended grant is a basic grant and the remaining 60% grant is for drinking water, rainwater harvesting, water recycling, and sanitation and maintenance.
With a focus on better health and well-being of children and need for hand-wash facilities, the campaign was started during the pandemic to make provision of piped water supply in schools, anganwadi centres and ashramshalas (tribal residential schools). This water was to be used for drinking, cooking, washing hands and use in toilets.
In these centres of learning, rainwater harvesting as well as grey water management are also being promoted.
Source: PTI
