Chennai: Rain centre to construct recharge wells to help mitigate floods
Chennai: The city- based organisation, The Rain Centre, which usually constructs traditional wells in individual households in the city, has taken up construction of recharge wells in public places to mitigate floods during heavy rains in the city.
According to members of the Rain Centre, they are taking up construction of such recharge wells with the help of communities and elected representatives in certain areas.
Dr Sekhar Raghavan, director of The Rain Centre, told Deccan Chronicle that such recharge wells during rains would help in improving groundwater table.
“Most importantly, rain water will not stagnate on the roads. Further, we have so far constructed around 10 such wells in the locality of Mylapore with the support of residents,” the water expert said, adding that they were keen to construct more wells across the city after getting permission from Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), which has also responsibility in constructing such wells. These wells would be constructed with 15 feet of depth and three feet of diameter, he explained.
Suggesting that public in the areas should come forward to crowd fund, Raghavan stressed that the elected representatives should too extend their helps in constructing wells to protect the city from being flooded during heavy rains Meanwhile, residents in the city are likely to be interested in getting recharge wells.
Speaking to DC, R Nataraj, MLA of Mylapore and former DGP, said that he would allot money from his constituency funds to construct at least 25 recharge wells in Mylapore. “There should be a strong awareness on recharge wells, which will help prevent floods and improve ground water charge,” he noted.GCC, which has been tasked to construct 100 recharge wells in the city before onset of monsoon, has started working on the same.
A senior official, GCC, said that they would complete the works soon. “We will also encourage any NGO that takes up construction works of recharge wells in public places.”
