Prayagraj Master Plan 2031: PDA pushes for reservoirs, rainwater harvesting systems
According to PDA vice-chairman Dr Amit Pal Sharma, presently hectic efforts are being made to ensure that every building, including residential as well as official structures constructed on a land area of more than 100 square metres, have rainwater harvesting infrastructures in place. The master plan has been prepared to meet the challenges of water requirement and recharging of groundwater in the same proportion in future, he added.
'All six zonal officers of the PDA have been strictly instructed to ensure that no new building map on a plot size more than 100 square metres is passed without the mandatory rainwater harvesting element incorporated in it. Also all the zonal officers and their subordinate staff will ensure presence of rainwater harvesting on existing buildings, both domestic and commercial, built on plot sizes more than 100 square metres in their respective jurisdiction,' Sharma said.
As per reports, presently, only 285 residential and commercial buildings owned by businessmen, industrialists, etc have got the mandatory rainwater harvesting infrastructure installed at their establishments in the district.
Focus on ponds, lakes and recharging zones:
The master plan also underscores protection of existing natural water bodies. All ponds, lakes, and reservoirs over one acre, regardless of their designated land use in housing schemes, must be conserved. Zonal and layout plans are required to list and make space for their protection.
Additionally, all projects over 20 acres must allocate 5% of land for construction of recharge ponds, while rainwater collection from rooftops and open areas is mandatory in group housing projects covering 300 square metres or more.
30-40 ponds encroached upon:
Urban expansion has taken a toll on city ponds. While 148 ponds are listed in official records, field surveys suggest 30 to 40 of them have vanished, often replaced by buildings or shops. Notably, in areas such as Arail, Naini Dadri, Chak Bhatai, Kazipur, Harwara and Fatehpur Bichchua, several pond lands bearing official land numbers exist only on paper. In some cases, the 'area' column in RTI replies remains blank, indicating a lack of data due to encroachments.
Environmentalists like Kamlesh Singh argue that municipal agencies are often unaware of the actual size or status of many water bodies due to unregulated development.
Groundwater under stress in 10 blocks:
The latest report from the groundwater department paints a grim picture. Of Prayagraj's 23 development blocks, two (Chaka and Sahaso) are in the 'critical' category and eight others are 'semi-critical', due to overuse of groundwater without matching recharge. The city itself has been declared 'over exploited'.
According to Ravikant, incharge of the groundwater department in the district, over-exploitation of groundwater without recharging in the same proportion is leading to decline in groundwater level in city area as well as in 10 development blocks comprising rural belt of the district.
As per set standards, if 70% of the recharged groundwater is used in any area, it is considered as normal, while if the same is consumed between 70% to 90%, the situation is tagged as 'semi-critical'. Further, if the recharged water is consumed between 90% to 100%, the situation is tagged as 'critical'. However, if the usage is more than 100% of the recharged quantity in that particular year, the area is tagged as 'over exploited'.
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