BMC to get strict with borewell permission …..Sharad Vyas
Mumbai: The civic body is almost regretting its own advice.
During the water scarcity this year,the BMC had urged citizens make alternative arrangements,such as digging borewells.However,now it is fretting over the depleting groundwater level that has resulted from excess digging into the earth.In a bid to ensure that no crisis crops up owing to the practice,the corporation has decided to carefully scrutinize applications before it gives the nod for wells.
At the civic standing committee meeting on Wednesday,municipal commissioner Swadheen Kshatriya said experts had warned against the sudden rush for borewells being dug.We have asked a team of experts to conduct a survey of the citys groundwater table to ascertain the spots where the level is dipping the most.Depending on the report,permissions for digging could be held back and applications will be scrutinized more carefully in those areas, he added.
A recent report by the Central Ground Water Board said the fall ranges from 0.11 m per year in Churchgate to 0.38 m per year at Aarey Milk Colony.
We are afraid that the BMC is waking up too late.The water reserve has been dipping for a while now and the BMC was told about it last year itself,when it appointed our team to conduct a study of groundwater levels, said S K Gu pta,former regional deputy director of Groundwater Survey &Development Authority.