BHUBANESWAR: The State government is set to launch the Community Harnessing and Harvesting rainwater Artificially from Terrace to Aquifer (CHHATA) scheme that aims to reinvigorate groundwater resources and improve water table from next month.The new scheme was approved by the Cabinet last month. It will be implemented for a period of five years.
The State sector scheme will work towards conserving rainwater and improving water quality in urban local bodies (ULBs) and water scarce blocks.As per the feasibility based on groundwater resource assessment conducted in 2020, rainwater harvesting structures will be constructed on the roofs of 29,500 private buildings and 1,925 government buildings covering 52 water stressed blocks and 27 urban local bodies.
An estimated 373.52 crore litre of water will be harvested during the scheme period between 2022-23 and 2026-27. It will be implemented through the existing manpower of the department of Water Resources (DoWR) with an outlay of Rs 270 crore. While the average cost of each water harvesting structure on the roofs of government buildings has been estimated at Rs 4.32 lakh, the expenditure would be around Rs 3.06 lakh per building in the rural areas.
Any individual, in the ULBs, owning a building having a roof area of less than 200 sq metre and not more than three floors will be eligible to apply under the scheme. After completion and testing of the Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting System (RRHS) by the authorised officers, the State government will provide a subsidy of Rs 55,000 or 50 per cent of the cost of the structure, whichever is less.
An official of the department said the RRHS should have a suitable recharge unit (well) which is compulsory under the scheme for claim of subsidy. The State government has also planned to engage rainwater harvesting consultants to be empanelled soon for inspection of the structures.
They will also generate public awareness and provide technical guidance for installation of RRHS. They will be paid Rs 6,000 per building on submission of the final completion report.Additional Chief Secretary of DoWR Anu Garg said the scheme has been prepared after a thorough study and considering the depleting groundwater in pockets of the State during summer.