17 Sep Water logging Problem : A common Problem for all metros (GS-1, Urbanisation)
Context:- Water logging problem has been a big problem for almost all metro cities of India for a long time mainly during the rainy season. Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Varanasi , Patna etc, all big cities have been facing this problem which should be concerned because there are many other problems which emerged after the water logging
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Roads are blocked leading to traffic jams pedestrians have to fade through the flooded streets.
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Electricity problem- Mainly in those places where electricity wiring is underground
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Telecommunication problem. – maining in broadband and fiber connectivity
Who is responsible (Causes)
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In rural areas, soft earth and trees play a vital role in absorbing every single drop of water in the woodlands. In urban areas earth is not able to absorb water because of its hardness and lack of trees
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Primarily a drainage system is built to keep rainwater off the roads but today due to lack of attention of civic bodies, drains are getting clogged as they are not in proper shape.
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Disposal of kitchen and home waste, fallen dried leaves, debris, broken garbage collection, plastic, and other garbage directly into the drains is the major factor of drain clogging that further results in water logging on roads.
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In many cases, waste flowing through drainage pops out, which results in a stinky odor on the streets. This is very common in cities near the coastline as during rain and high tide water enters back into the cities through the drains.
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We should not give clean chit to town planners or authorities which could not make proper plans for meteors . Enrichment is another reason for water logging.
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Heavy rain has never been responsible for the water logging . During the ancient period (Indus Valley), there was heavier rain than present days but we do not have any evidence of water logging .
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30% of problems are happening due to heavy rain then the rest 70% is due to human negligence.
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Due to massive construction and endless development, water-absorbing sectors like – forests, fields, wetlands, and mangroves are diminishing.
Solution
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Government or authorities can make the law by restricting ourselves and others from disposing of waste into drains, especially plastics, making optimal use of dustbins, and following the government’s waste disposal system respectively.
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The change can only be seen when the state government will start giving priority to flood management projects.
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“Urban planning has to necessarily take into account water in all its forms, whether it is piped water supply, rainwater, stormwater, surface water or groundwater”,
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“Drainage systems are designed for 25ml/hr of rainfall. But if in a short period, there is an unprecedented amount of rainfall, it overruns drainage capacity. Drainage system should be redesigned
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More plantation
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Sewerage manholes should be covered tightly
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Build a proper rainwater drainage network
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Potholes should be filled before monsoon
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Before starting the monsoon, the government should prepare for it. Government should repair roads, streets on priority basis
Water logging problem is not the problem of meteors for non few days (during monsoon period) but this generated others problems like many diseases , health issues,. Therefore , we as well as government authorities should be highly concerned in this regard and by controlling corruption , all the measures to stop water logging problems should be followed strictly on ground (not on paper ) . This is not a small issue . During this corona period. This problem can generate other big problems related to health.
By
Dr Anshul Bajpai
Plutus IAS Current Affair Team Member
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