Challenges and Solutions of Storm Water Disposal in Urban Areas

- Lokabhimukha Guidance - H.S. Patel IAS (Retd.)

- Long-term planning and implementation of rainwater drainage in urban areas is necessary

Taking into account the extraordinary rainfall in the current monsoon and the changes in the seasonal cycle, a series of articles have been analyzed in the form of analysis of stormwater drainage issues, drawing up long-term and short-term plans. All the news media or even the public at large have told to solve the situation that has arisen in urban areas regarding the problem of rainwater drainage, and the city specific issues are covered in this article. Till date, issues related to cities like water, roads, sewerage, housing, dirty habitats, slums etc. are presented by the citizens and if seen from the legal and institutional point of view, GPMC is the Governing Act for Municipal Corporations. Act (Gujarat Provincial Municipal Corporation Act) and Municipalities Act is applicable for municipalities. Mandatory and voluntary duties have been stated in these laws as an example, the status of City Government has been considered as self-governing institutions after the implementation of the 74th Constitutional Amendment.

Until today, the average pattern of rainfall was maintained according to the geographical area and on that basis, the rain water was disposed of naturally through rivers, canals, canals. In the current times, due to climate change and low-pressure, up to 24 inches of rain is falling simultaneously in the form of Cloud Bursting rain disaster. Cities are different because of urbanization. Thus, rivers, ravines, creeks, curved water courses are to be maintained in their original form. But in cities, the remaining agricultural / open land plots / survey numbers are completely uncultivated rather than the original walled city. Thus, due to multiple reasons, problems of abnormal rain water drainage have arisen in cities. Now if we analyze the cities according to the area, the Tapi river passes through the Surat Municipal Corporation area and this river was perennial and apart from that, the water of Udhana Limbayat creek and small Varachha creeks flows from the Tapi river to the sea before Hazira-Dummas. Kakrapar and Ukai dams have been built on the Tapi river in Surat, so water is released in a regulated manner. But due to upstream dams in Tapi river, water does not flow except during monsoon, so the height of the bank (banking) of the river has decreased and flattened and due to silting in the river, the water returns when more water is released in areas like Adajan, Rander, Seinganpore, Wade. During my service period I have faced the Surat floods of 1990, 1994, 1998 and 2006. Tapi River in Surat and part of the city is low where Lock Gate is operated. All the creeks of Surat, which were small streams, have been constructed upstream.

As Bharuch is systematically on the banks of Narmada and silting in this area of ​​Narmada river creates flood conditions in the city when excess water enters Narmada. However, after putting a gate on Narmada Sardar Sarovar, water is released only in a regulated manner, so now Bharuch does not get frequent floods like before, but due to unauthorized construction in the original city, the roads are flooded. Now talking about Vadodara city, I have served as Deputy Commissioner and Commissioner in this municipality. Vishwamitri river passes through the center of the city and Ruparel in the east, Mashiha in the center and Bhukhikans in the west north and there are 13 lakes in different areas of the city.The planned town system of Gaikwad in the city reduced the problems of waterlogging in the city but the constructions on the natural streams, Due to National Bypass Highway, Narmada Branch Canal etc., rainwater issues have arisen. If we observe the situation of Ahmedabad, the Sabarmati river passes through the city. On this river, Dharoi dam is built in Mehsana district and Sant Sarovar is built in front of Indroda in Gandhinagar. Talking about the city of Rajkot, Aji river passes through the eastern part of the city and there is Aji dam above it. Flood situation occurs only if there is more rain in this river. But there has been unauthorized construction on the water channel in the city. And in all cities there are also unauthorized slums on rivers, bends.

No city has a complete Storm Water Plan, only in the area where there is a problem of water inundation, storm drains have been laid for a short period of time, but there is no logical termination. Mostly rainwater is bypassed and used as sewerage. To take a recent example, a flyover was constructed from Shastri Bridge to Manisa Chodki in Vadodara city. Next to the original model farm there was an open channel of water drainage years ago and that water was flowing naturally to Subhanpura, now there will be a problem of rainwater drainage in these areas, similarly due to the National Highway Bypass and Narmada Branch Canal, when those projects were undertaken, the Authority did not plan for water drainage. Now the question of the city of the municipality has arisen. Accepting this actual situation, the present rainfall pattern should be studied under the joint plan of irrigation and urban development along with short-term and long-term planning and financial provision should be made by the state government by including it in Amrut Yojana, along with Municipal Commissioner / Chief Officer of the local administration system for the construction of projects like Water Harvesting. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that no construction is allowed on or near the rainwater run-off system, and that unauthorized construction is not done on rivers, canals, creeks, bends and if any, it is necessary to remove them in the form of a campaign. Complete