While the Vellore Corporation is taking steps to implement the Rainwater Harvesting (RWH) system in a big way, residents of ward 54 in Kasba have demanded speedy completion of the rainwater harvesting structure in their area. They complained that the pits dug near the public borewells in the area for the rainwater harvesting structure had been left open.
The Corporation has been creating awareness among the public on the importance of rainwater harvesting system through seminars and in meetings with traders and NGOs.
The local body held a consultative meeting with the councillors recently to conduct door to door checks to strictly implement the system in all buildings in the city.
Notices were also issued to public and the local body also planned to hold rallies involving school and college students in this connection.
However, residents of Kasba complain that the pits dug for the construction of the rainwater harvesting structure had been left open, causing pedestrians to fall into them.
Shanthini, a resident, said that her three-year-old son fell into the pit a few weeks ago.
“I pay extra attention while filling the pot at the borewell as there is an uncovered pit dug adjacent to it,” another resident Umamaheshwari said.
Councillor of ward 54 M Usha Nandhini said, “There are 26 public borewells in the ward, including 6 new borewells that were sunk recently. The Corporation staff had dug a pit near these borewells two months ago in summer in order to save water that overflowed from the pots.”
However, no side walls were constructed and no rainwater harvesting structure was built, she claimed. She also said that she had covered some of the pits in the ward on her own expense after complaints.