Goa keen to make rainwater harvesting compulsory for all

Panaji, Aug 3 (UNI) Goa, perched on the western ghats receives abundant rainfall every year, but often experiences shortage of water, is keen to make rainwater harvesting compulsory soon.

Visited by tourists from different parts of the country, this international tourist destination feels choked at most of the favourite tourist spots, where ground water is contaminated, causing concern to the authorities.

To circumvent this situation, the government is also seriously examining a proposal offering incentives to individual households, residential and commercial complexes besides hotels and industries, to encourage them to undertake scientific techniques of rainwater harvesting.

Similar schemes have been in vogue in neighbouring states like Kerala and water starved Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, where rain water harvesting, along with cloud seeding techniques gathered momentum to save water.

The proposal of the Goa water resources department is yet to get the Cabinet nod. It is likely to come up for discussion and approval very soon, sources told UNI.

Goa, spread over an area of only 3,702 square kms, receives an average 300 CMS rainfall every year during June to September and most of it drains into the sea, bemoan scientists.

Hydrologists estimate basinwise average rainwater runoff at a total of 8,570 million cubic metres every year and maintain that this entire water resource should not be mistaken as available for harnessing.

There are nine river basins in Goa with Zuari having the highest length of 145 km. Many of these rivers are prone to tides upto a distance of 20 to 40 kms and the utilizable part of the yield should be identified basinwise.

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