Bengaluru finally figures out a way to keep Cubbon Park 'evergreen'
- Heritage Cubbon Park to hold water for 365 days.
- The authorities and conservationist help in setting new 20 traditional recharge bore wells and de-silt three mini ponds to collect and retain rainwater.
- The park will not only be self-sufficient but will also supply treated water to Vidhana Soudha, Raj Bhavan and High Court,
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After learning its lesson the hard way during harsh summers, the Horticulture Department finally has come with a measure that will ensure that it has ample water to keep the Cubbon Park evergreen.
The Horticulture Department is mandated with the responsibility of taking care of Cubbon Park and the gardens in Vidhana Soudha, High Court, Raj Bhavan and Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain. But come summer, the department struggles to keep the lawns of these lush surroundings green.
Now, thanks to the initiative by environment activists and Horticulture Department, 20 new recharge borewells will come up, and three mini ponds will be revived.
"The heritage park struggled for water as the water supply was staggered and borewells had dried up due to harsh summer," said Mahantesh Murgod, Deputy Director of Horticulture Department and Cubbon Park.
"Had initiative like desilting mini ponds and installing traditional recharge borewells taken place earlier, we would not have faced this tough situation," Murgod added. Now, we have got funds to desilt the three ponds and put up new bore wells. Apart from this initiative, the Horticulture department is getting 1.5 MLD sewage treatment plant upgraded into 4 MLD, he added.
The project of STP upgradation will take seven months and by the end of December, the park will get additional 4 MLD water that will be stored in its ponds and mini tanks.
The park recently revived its seven old wells with the help of TCS and those wells will also witness an increase in water level. With additional 20 new bore wells, the park will never go dry in future, he opined.
This initiative of cleaning of silt from over half-acre ponds and putting up of new recharge borewell by digging 20 feet will collect enough water for park and gardens in government offices in the vicinity in monsoon. The heritage park will never be parched and will have water for 365 days.
"By next monsoon, Cubbon Park, Vidhana Soudha, High Court, Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain, offices and hotels in the 1 km periphery of Cubbon Park will be supplied the treated water for secondary purpose. By this initiative, we will be reducing the dependency on Cauvery water," said Ram Prasad, Friends of Lakes Convenor and water conservation activist.
