Kochi: Even as rainwater harvesting has been made mandatory as per building rules, over 80 per cent of the buildings lack the facility. But the small village of Thuruthikkara, which has 349 families with 1,600 residents, could successfully implement rooftop rainwater harvesting. According to Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishat, which coordinated the project named ‘Nammude Pura Vellam, Nammude Kinar Vellam,’ every raindrop counts and villagers have been given training on harvesting and management of raindrops, which changed the fate of Thuruthikkara for the better.
The Rural Science and Technology Centre set up by the KSSP has been acting as the agency for coordinating implementation and continuation of various programmes initiated under Oorja Nirmala Haritha Gramam.
Many families set up well recharging units at their own cost while those who could not afford it were given funds from the panchayat. As many as 12 houses were given financial assistance for installing the facility using National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. The average cost for setting up the facility is Rs 8000 to Rs 12,000 based on the area of rooftop and the distance between the well and the house.
Rainwater from rooftop is collected through pipes with a filter at the end. This filtered rainwater is directed to open dug wells to replenish the underground bed of groundwater.
This will not only help with the abundance of water but the system will also help in reducing the salinity, turbidity and presence of chemicals in well water. The rooftop is cleaned before the first rain ahead of monsoon by which impurities can be cleared.
“KSSP has formed a group for extending the programme to other parts of the state. We have been getting several inquiries from many parts of the state and we are finding it difficult to attend to their demand. The nearby panchayats have already started implementing the programme. We are now documenting the impact of the project by assessing the difference in water level and quality of water during different seasons,” said A. Suresh, a member of the KSSP team for well-recharging.
Thuruthikkara has now become a much sought-after place being visited by expert agencies, research organisations and training centres apart from civic groups and NGOs. A delegation from the Indian Institute of Kozhikode visited the village to study the various green initiatives, including well-recharging. The Rotary Club representatives recently visited the village and offered financial support to the families which needed it.
