Prayagraj: The declining groundwater level in Sangam City has become a cause for concern. The over-extraction of groundwater in rural and urban pockets is the primary reason behind depleting water level.However, authorities are trying to resolve the issue through several measures including rainwater harvesting, which prompts the recharging of the groundwater table. Moreover, initiatives are also underway to check the depleting of ground water level through constructing ‘Amrit Sarovars’ (rejuvenated water bodies) in rural areas.District Magistrate (Prayagraj) Manish Kumar Verma has directed officials from all departments to formulate an action plan and ensure effective implementation regarding the ‘Groundwater Week’ scheduled from July 16 to July 22. The theme for groundwater week this year is ‘Pledge to Conserve Water; There is No Alternative.’ Under the groundwater conservation campaign, a series of events will be organized at the gram panchayat level on July 16 and 17, development Block and Kshetra Panchayat levels ( July 18 and 19), municipal council and nagar panchayat levels (July 20 and 21) and district/zila panchayat, urban development, and development authority levels on July 22. The administration’s roadmap primarily requires government agencies responsible for groundwater harvesting to work in unison.The plan focuses on the construction of Amrit Sarovars and check dams, alongside the implementation of rainwater harvesting systems across the district.Amrit Sarovars play a pivotal role in rainwater harvesting in Prayagraj. District Coordinator (MGNREGA ) Gulab Chand said that as many as 639 Amrit Sarovars have been completed in the district, while construction of another 76 is underway. He added, “Each Amrit Sarovar has been developed over a minimum area of one acre, with an average water storage capacity of 8,000 cubic meters.”A total of 5,112,000 cubic meters of water has been stored in these Amrit Sarovars so far. This initiative is not limited merely to the conservation of water sources but it also plays a vital role in strengthening environmental balance in villages, improving groundwater levels and boosting agriculture-based livelihoods.Aviral Singh, a hydrologist with the UP groundwater department, states that the Prayagraj division of the department plans to install rooftop rainwater harvesting systems on government and semi-government buildings covering a total roof area of 20,000 square meters during the 2026-27 financial year.This initiative will enable the recharging of approximately 18,888 cubic meters (18,888,000 liters) of rainwater into the groundwater reserves.
