When the first rain drops fell on Thursday, the smell of newly wet earth was exciting for a majority of Chennaiites. Unrelenting heat this summer not only hogged the headlines, but also became the most discussed topic among people of the state. Family, friends and even strangers in malls, banks and bus stops shared their water tales and awaited rain with bated breath. And when it rained after more than six months, it was all happy smileys on social media.
With weathermen predicting brief, isolated spells of rain for the next few days, the intense summer heat has subsided ushering in a welcome relief.
However, a couple of days ago, the Madras high court slammed the state government for not taking adequate measures to address the water crisis. The court observed that the state government did not take enough steps despite expecting monsoon failure.
It also directed the PWD secretary to submit a report on the number of reservoirs, steps taken for desilting, funds sanctioned and status of those works.
While Nemili and Minjur desalination plants and water from Veeranam lake give a little succour to parched Chennai, the cry for harvesting rainwater has grown louder this season. “Why wait till the last moment to create awareness about rainwater harvesting?” asked the Madras high court.
Last year, Metro Water had launched the 'rainwater harvesting challenge' and asked people to post photographs of their RWH structures on its FB page to motivate others.
Though rainwater harvesting structures were made mandatory in Tamil Nadu in 2003 to augment groundwater resources, houses and government buildings have failed to upgrade them. With no proper maintenance of RWHs now, its potential remains largely untapped.
A multi-pronged approach involving the active participation of people, experts, NGOs and the state government will help in tackling water crisis of this magnitude.
