Monsoon 2011 - Get ready - Article by Vishwanath Srikantaiah

It’s May already and the advent of one of India’s most awaited natural event the monsoon is nigh. This year according to early reports it may be in the Andaman’s by the 12th of May itself and may arrive in Kerala earlier than June 1st its usual arrival date.

While the city is getting ready cleaning up its storm-water drains and sewerage networks other measures are equally crucial. The de-silting of the various tanks in the city is a must as well as the cleaning up of the channels leading up to them. The overflow weirs and the ‘Rajakaluves’ the channels linking one tank to the other, need to be dredged and de-silted too.

Roads too have cambers which do not lead to the storm-water drain. These need to be rectified in this month. All chip carpeting and asphalting works will need to be done now as well as pothole filling.

Apartments, industries and institutions are well advised to take a look at the maintenance of their storm water system as well as roofs. Are they ship shape for the rains? Have all water harvesting structures especially filters and first rain separators cleaned? Are the recharge wells and the recharge pits installed and operational?

Many households have already implemented rainwater harvesting systems and eagerly look forward to the rains. Rain Barrels, which is one of the simplest rainwater harvesting systems to install, can fill up and provide supplemental water.

Click here to read the entire article