10 Hebbal parks reap harvest

10 Hebbal parks reap harvest
This assembly constituency is the first in the city that has implemented rain water harvesting systems in all its parks; BBMP plans to extend it to all city parks before onset of monsoon
B K LAKSHMIKANTHA


The Hebbal assembly constituency, touted to be next tech hub of Bangalore, is sure to turn you green with envy through its eco-friendly practices. It will be the first constituency in which all the ten major public parks have implemented rain water harvesting systems.
Sandwiched between Bangalore International Airport (BIA) road and Outer Ring Road, Hebbal will be the first area whose parks are no longer dependent on borewells or water supplied by the Bangalore Water Supply & Sewerage Board (BWSSB).
KATTA INITIATIVE
Ten parks in this constituency come under BBMP East Zone. Two months ago, the civic body took up rain water harvesting from Veterinary College Park on Hebbal Road. Due to the initiative taken by BWSSB Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu, who hails from the constituency, the programme began at this constituency.
“The minister told us to seek technical guidance from Karnataka State Council for Science & Technology of Indian Institute of Science. The survey and plan estimate was prepared by Chief Executive Shiva Kumar, for which he will receive 5 per cent of the project cost,” said BBMP (horticulture) east zone superintendent N Shivanna.
A two-metre wide and a sixmetre deep well will be dug at the lowest point in the park. The well will be lined with a cement ring with holes at the bottom to allow water to percolate to the ground. The well can hold up to 9,900 litres of water. An iron square rod mesh will be placed on top of the ring.
WATER VIA FILTER
“Rain water that flows into the well will be filtered in the filter chamber before entering the well. The excess water will flow to the nearby borewell through a pipe, which will have a filter mesh for cleaning water. This is called ‘Borewell Recharging’. Each such unit costs Rs 55,300,” said Shivanna.
The East Zone has 223 parks, of which 155 are developed and 68 under developed.
RWH FOR ALL PARKS
In the past, RWH was done by simply digging wells at the lowest point. With the help of new technology, excess water from the well can be diverted to a borewell. “Rain water harvesting can be done where the park is more than 15-20 metres in diameter. Around 100 parks in the zone are considered feasible for RWH,” he said.
BBMP joint director (horticulture) A Narayanaswamy said rain water harvesting will be implemented in all the city parks. “It is a huge task and to have it in all the parks will take nearly a year. We are hoping to complete the task before the onset of monsoon,” he added.
DEMAND & SUPPLY TK Halli: 900 mld Tippagondanahalli: 60 mld Quantum of water supplied everyday: 960 mld Water shortage in city: 350 mld Average per capita supply of water: 100-120 litres