With Prime Minister Narendra Modi making a strong pitch for rainwater harvesting, the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) is doing its bit by setting up the structures needed for it at over 3,900 monuments of national importance across the country.
“Most of the monuments have huge space and hence there is no problem in setting up the rain water harvesting units. These structures will ensure that water collected during rains does not go waste. In fact, Taj Mahal is the first monument to already have such a system in place. The project is now being replicated at other monuments as well,” said an official from the ASI.
He said the Union Culture Ministry has recently written a letter to the ASI to ensure green measures in all the monuments and accordingly all the ASI circles have been asked to share the budget estimates for such purpose.
To begin with, in the national capital, Qutub Minar, the 13th century minaret in Mehrauli, and its surrounding structures will soon act as a reserve for recharging the groundwater level. Four rainwater harvesting units are being constructed inside the new parking lot of the complex. The ASI will also carry out similar water conservation initiatives at other heritage spots such as the Tughlaqabad Fort, Hauz Khas, Mehrauli Archaeological Park and Red Fort, the official added.
Also, a sewage treatment plant (STP) will be constructed near the toilet facilities at all the monuments for better sewage management facilities while a campaign will be launched from October 2, 2019 to make the premises plastic-free following a call from the Prime Minister.
Concerned about the water crisis in rural areas, Modi in June 2019 had written a personal letter to ‘gram pradhans’ (village chiefs) requesting them to conserve rainwater during the monsoon seasons.