The Palace Board has taken the initiative in implementing this water conservation measure as the rain water falling inside the Palace premises does not completely go waste by simply flowing into the drain. It has taken steps to collect and effectively use the rain water. Once the project is completed, the rain water will be put to proper use.
The Palace Board had decided to implement rain water harvesting during its budget meeting held last year and had fixed one-year deadline to complete the project. The first stage of the project has already begun at the Bidadi Block. The second stage is also underway at the Flag Grounds.
The aim of this project is to collect the rain water that falls on the buildings and the inter-locking tiles laid inside the Palace premises from flowing into the drain and preserve it, so that the same can be used during the summer season to water the gardens and lawns. It also recharges the ground water table for the 10 borewells that are located in Palace premises.
Palace premises is spread over an area of 72 acres. Rain water falling in about 50 to 55 acres of land was going down the drain. A team constituted under Shyamsundar, Director of NIE-CREST, inspected the premises and provided guidance and consultancy.
Bidadi Block
Beneath the Bidadi Block where the Administrative Office is located, three underground tanks with capacity to hold 20000, 25000 and 50000 litres of water are being constructed. Experts are of the opinion that with a total storage capacity of 95000 litres and under the ‘collect-utilise-re-collect’ scheme, about 9.88 lakh litres of rain water can be collected in a year.
