CUTTACK: The Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) is in a fix over implementation of rainwater harvesting projects in the city due to selection of unsuitable sites by its engineering section. As per instructions of the State government, the civic body had started planning for construction of as many as 1,180 small rainwater harvesting projects at the cost of Rs 12 crore under Mukhyamantri Karma Tatpara Abhiyan (Mukta) Yojana.
The rainwater harvesting structures are meant for water conservation and recharge of ground water sources. The structures are meant to facilitate discharge of excess rainwater from flood-prone localities in the city. However, the engineers of the civic body faced difficulties in construction of the structures at several places in the city where water started oozing from the ground just after digging for 4-5 feet. The issue has led to cancellation of 1,150 projects.
City engineer Suba Rao Patra said in order to construct pits for the projects, at least 6 feet of digging is required. But as the majority of the localities in the city are in low-lying areas, water starts oozing from the ground after 4-5 feet of digging. Patra said constructing pits at such locations would not serve the purpose. He said the civic body is focusing on construction of 30 rainwater harvesting projects in higher areas like Jobra, Buxi Bazar, Jagatpur, Telengapentha and Pratap Nagari.
Sources said in the wake of drastic fall in ground water level, the Housing and Urban Development department had instructed all urban local bodies to construct rainwater harvesting projects. The department had also directed to complete the projects by June 15. Following the instruction, the CMC’s engineering section hurriedly selected the sites without considering the feasibility for construction of the projects. It then prepared the plan and submitted it to the government.