Recycled mud water to nurture saplings

Kakinada: Acting on the advice of a model farmer, the new incumbent East Godavari District Collector Karthikeya Misra has directed Municipal Commissioner Aleem Basha to take necessary steps to divert the water, flowing waste into the Upputeru after filtering the drinking water at two of the water processing facilities of the civic body, to nurture saplings and plants at the government offices and public places.

Highlights:

• District Collector Karthikeya Misra directs Municipal Commissioner to take necessary steps to recycle the mud water released into Upputeru to water saplings in various govt offices.
• He takes the decision on the suggestion of model farmer, Gunnam Veerabhadra Rao of Vetlapalem, who has been using drip-irrigation in his 50-acre farm

Impressed by the suggestion of model farmer, Gunnam Veerabhadra Rao of Vetlapalem, who has been using drip-irrigating facility in his 50-acre farm, the district collector asked the civic body to arrest the water wastage and bring the waste water into reuse after recycling it.

It may be recalled that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu laid a lot of emphasis on utilising every drop of water. Releasing waste water into the Upputeru from many decades reflects the negligence of the civic body officials in conserving the water
Lakhs of liters of water, regarded as waste water, is being released into the Upputeru for the past many decades. Therefore, the model farmer suggested the district collector and the municipal commissioner to divert the water to feed plants in the city at various places.

He also quoted the example of how he has been drip-irrigating his farm making use of every drop of water.
The Victoria Water Works here has two plants that purify water catering to the needs of five lakh population. Upon filtering the drinking water, the residual mud water is being discharged into the Upputeru, a small stream. Instead of releasing the water into the stream, the plan is to build a sump behind the water works facility and drip-irrigate the plants in the offices of the district collector, zilla parishad office, district courts, the government hospitals, PR College and so on.

The idea has two advantages: one, putting the mud water to efficient use and two, it helps to improve greenery in the city.
The city civil corporation got thousands of trees planted at various places and protecting them installing tree guards. The plants are being watered deploying water tanks. The implementation of this idea saves the corporation lakhs of rupees. The model farmer says that it is not difficult to implement his idea provided the district administration is sincere in its mentation.
The advice of the model farmer stirred the water reuse issue leading to the district collector asking the civic body to explore the idea.

By Adapa Appa Rao