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As monsoon rains sweep through India, municipal governments are racing against time to initiate concerted efforts to prevent flooding and collect rainwater in full measure. Here's the latest on the multi-pronged efforts that are reversing water management on its urban head:
Big Steps Ahead
24/7 Standby Drainage Teams: State authorities, under mandate, have municipal teams (e.g., WASA and city corporations) kept ready to respond 24/7 to prevent water buildup at any point of criticality. Field equipment is being kept under constant maintenance, and standby generators are available to mitigate power outages at drainage stations.
Rainwater Harvesting System Repair: More than 400 rainwater harvesting systems in markets, public areas, and parks in Gurugram are being repaired, restored, and upgraded. Similarly, all government and private structures in Greater Noida and other areas have been ordered to repair systems before the peak monsoon.
Modular Harvesting Technology: New light-weight modular rainwater harvesting systems—much more efficient than the old concrete installations—will be installed in parks and floodplains, significantly improving water capture and groundwater rapid recharge.
Heavy-Duty Repairs and Inspections: Desilting, repairing, and inspection of sewer lines, drainage systems, and manhole covers are being carried out by engineering teams. All the city pockets that are flood-prone and lowers-lying are being watched round-the-clock via real-time dashboards.
Central Government Booster: The Centre's "Jal Sanchay, Jan Bhagidari" scheme targets one million new rainwater harvesting sites in the country in the upcoming monsoon, especially for urban enclaves. Urban municipalities have to establish thousands of new points of recharging, depending on the city population and level of urbanisation.
Community and Citizen Involvement: The municipal authorities are calling for engaged citizens and providing online portals for comments and emergency alerts. Public awareness campaigns encourage citizens to unclog neighborhood drains and report waterlogging on a priority basis.
These historic advances—supported by state policy, engineering innovation, civic engagement, and center funding—are a paradigm shift in India's rainy-season resilience and urban sustainability.
Source: Times of India, Hindustan Times.
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