Officials rejigged Delhi model to suit local conditions

As part of its integrated approach to developing nature-based systems, Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Devasthanam has taken up a series of water conservation measures which helped it win the first prize for ‘Organization for Best Religious/ Recreational and Tourism Water Users’ in the National Water Awards for 2018, given away recently.

The conservation exercise includes four injection wells, three roof-top water harvesting structures and contour trenches for 10 km and percolation tanks.

How it works

In the injection wells, a water collection point is identified based on the gradient from which it is channelised into a collection well equipped with a filter bed and a wire screen to filter the water. The collection well is connected to a nearby injection well. After a casing to prevent collapse of the surrounding material, a 200-foot, perforated tube of 5-inch diameter is sunk into it. The water flowing into the well finds its way into the aquifers thus recharging the groundwater table.

One injection well was sunk near Padalamma temple atop Simhachalam, two at the Gosala at Krishnapuram where organic farming of vegetables and flowers is taken up and one at Sattemma temple on the hill to help improve growth and sustenance of greenery. Water from the well at Padalamma temple is used to nourish plants on the Hilltop Road.

The idea of taking up of injection wells was mooted by hereditary trustee P. Ashok Gajapathi Raju after seeing the work done by CPWD at New Delhi.

Their adaptation and improvement was done by the devasthanam Engineering officials.

Rooftop harvesting

To increase availability of water in bore-wells close to the temple, rooftop water harvesting was taken up at Annapradasa Sala, Gajapati Satram and Pilgrim Amenities Centre. Water from the rooftop is filtered and directed into the bore-wells.

Other conservation measures include contour trenches of 10 km length, two percolation tanks - one at Gosala and another on the hill and a check-dam above Gangadhara that caters to water supply on the hill.

Executive Engineer B. Malleswara Rao said more than 26,000 sft was brought under rooftop harvesting with an estimated recharge quantity of 22 lakh litres. The estimated recharge of the injection wells is 4 crore litres. The 13 bore-wells at the Gosala have shown a rise in groundwater from 10 to 15 feet after the steps taken there. The density of greenery increased by 40% in 2,500 acres owing to the cumulative effect of water conservation measures on the Simachalam hill.

Integrated approach

“The efforts will continue with more contour trenching and injection wells and we have set targets for ourselves for this year too,” Devasthanam Executive Officer K. Ramachandra Mohan told The Hindu. The aim is to revive seven of the 12 natural strerams that have dried up, he said.

The efforts are aimed at improving amenities for pilgrims as their number is increasing by the year, and also in surrounding habitations, he said. Solar plants, large-scale plantations, natural farming, and water harvesting are aimed at integrated development based on nature-friendly systems.