Pune news links - Rainwater harvesting, Green Hills Group, Solid waste management, Illegal constructions

1) Rainwater harvesting:

"It is time for citizens to wake up to the need for proper water management techniques as the monsoon has played traunt and the city is facing 30 per cent water cut"

The water crisis in the city can be attributed not just to scanty rainfall and distribution losses, but lack of initiative on the part of the citizens to harvest water. While cities like Chennai are doing commendable work practicing rainwater harvesting, only 479 of the total 6.44 lakh properties in Pune have done so.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is doing its part promoting rainwater harvesting by offering 10 per cent rebate in property tax to citizens who implement the technique.

Interestingly, the PMC is also the first local urban body in the country to take up implementation of the eco-housing program under technical assistance provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). However, despite the initiatives there are not many takers for water management system in the city.

Experts attribute it to indifferent attitude of citizens towards water conservation and also to abundant supply of water that the city has been blessed with.

However, they state that it is time for citizens to wake up to the need for proper water management techniques as the monsoon has played traunt and the city is facing 30 per cent water cut.

Environment engineer R V Saraf of Shree Gurdudeo enviro services for total water quality management states that citizens can do a lot of things which will go a long way in saving water.

"There are a lot of techniques but awareness needs to be created about them. Nearly 60 to 70 per cent of the water used daily by an individual can be recycled and reused. Water used in bathrooms and washbasins can be recycled and used for gardening or flushing in toilets. People have a stigma in their mind about recycling toilet water, but that too can be reused," Saraf said.

He added that using drinking water for all purposes was the main problem and by using recycled water for washing cars and landscaping - the requirement for water will go down by 40 per cent.

To read more, please, visit - Rainwater harvesting has few takers in city

2) Eco-Friendly practices at Magarpatt City

3) Palash 2.0 at Wakad - Eco living

4) Pune received its quota of rain for June:

Pune may still be waiting for the monsoon, but the city actually received its quota of rain for the month of June.

In fact, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data, it has topped the June average quota by 4 mm. Normal statistics for June is 113.5 mm and this year, Pune recorded 117.5 mm, thanks largely to three heavy spells on June 6, 7 and June 21.

On June 6, the city recorded 55.5 mm rainfall, the highest quantity recorded so far. The next day, the city recorded another 19.4 mm. Then, towards the end of June there were some showers of which the highest (40.2 mm) was recorded on June 21.

"Most of the rainfall which took place was due to convective conditions, so it was very localised," said A B Mazumdar, deputy director general meteorology of IMD. "Due to this localised nature, the quantum of rainfall varied remarkably from area to area."

Fringe areas did not get as much rain as the city. Areas such as Pashan and Lohegaon were woefully short on the rain front. The Lohegaon region got 52.2 mm rainfall, (lower than the average of 39 mm) and Pashan got 74.1 mm rainfall. IMD measuring instruments have just been set up in Pashan, so previous records are not available. Read More

5) After 2 July '09, it is likely that all areas in Pune will receive water on alternate days:

The irrigation department has announced a 30 per cent water cut for Pune beginning Wednesday. A 20 per cent cut has been in force in the city since June 21, which will be increased by 10 per cent.

"We will hold a joint meeting with guardian minister Ajit Pawar and irrigation officials on Thursday after which the new schedule for water supply will be announced," said additional municipal commissioner Umakant Dangat on Tuesday.

Following the announcement of 20 per cent water cut, the PMC had prepared a water-cut schedule. As per the schedule, some areas get water either in the morning or in the evening, while some areas get it on alternate days. After Thursday, it is likely that all areas in the city will receive water on alternate days. Read More

6) CREDAI Pune issues a circular that none of their members will use PMC water for construction purposes:

To assist with the water crises that Pune city is reeling under, CREDAI Pune has issed a circular that none of their members will use PMC water for construction purposes. Says Satish Magar, President CREDAI Pune, "Our general practice is not to use PMC water for construction, in fact builders do not get the permission to do so, however in case there is an odd case where such a situation exists we have passed a resolution asking members to ensure that construction
activity does not impact the city’s water supply."

"We have decided to do our best to help Punekars with the water crisis that we all have to put up with. To that end our members will not use any water from the PMC’s resources but use our own bore wells or water from the Sewage Treatment Plants for our construction needs and even in our projects. In fact, if there is any excess then we are willing to coordinate with the PMC to make this water available to areas surrounding such water sources."

CREDAI Pune has also asked its members to defer non critical construction activity to help the citizens’ water needs.

7) Pune Municipal Corporation invites consultants for municipal solid waste management:

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has invited consultants for municipal solid waste (MSW) management which includes assessment, evaluation, management, rejuvenation, reclamation and post-closure management, as wells as resource extraction of existing landfill site at the Urali Devachi and Phursungi villages.

The consultants will be expected to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) and a detailed engineering inventory for civil, mechanical and electrical work of capping and post-capping gas utilization. Read More

8) Issue of illegal constructions of 23 corporators in PCMC:

Even as the general body of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) pressurises the civic administration to demolish illegal constructions in Pimpri camp, it continues to hesitate over giving permission to the civic administration to refer the matter of illegal constructions of 23 corporators to the court.

The civic administration has been demanding that the municipal commissioner be granted permission to refer the matter of the illegal constructions of 23 corporators to the court so that the disqualification process can be initiated. Former municipal commissioner Dilip Band on July 18, 2008 had sent the first proposal to the GB to seek this permission.

But he was denied permission and the proposal was kept pending every time it was tabled for discussion. Even after Ashish Sharma took over as commissioner the GB on June 3 decided to keep it pending for one year!

When contacted, party leaders did not comment about action against these illegal constructions.Read More

9) Now, debris dumping on Hanuman tekdi:

Another instance of illegal dumping has come to the fore with activist Rajesh Shende, from the Law college road area, alleging that indiscriminate dumping of debris has been going on at Hanuman tekdi for the last two years.

Speaking to press reporters here on Wednesday, Shende said that he had first raised the issue in 2007 when he had issued a series of complaints to the ward officer as well as the then municipal commissioner. Read More

10) Green Hills Group, Pune:

Green Hills Group has been working for last 10 years in rain water harvesting and tree plantation in Pune.

Initially for 5 to 6 years, we worked as a small group and then registered as a trust called Green Hills Group.

We have a panel of eight trustees and lot of devoted nature lovers. Some of us are retired persons having different background – bankers , engineers , businessman etc, some of us are still at college and some are still working. All of us carry a dream and have mission impossible ahead of us – we want to make hills around Pune Green! To read more, please, visit - www.greenhillsgroup.org

11) View Hanuman Tekdi Pune - Ravi Gogte's slide-show on Flickr

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