CHENNAI, INDIA, June 17, 2011 (Times of India): The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Board plans to introduce rain water harvesting methods in all the temple tanks in the state. Hydrologists say temple tanks are an excellent source of water conservation that also pushes up the groundwater table.
Examples of this are the tanks of the Mylapore Kapaleeswarar temple and the Tiruvanmiyur Marundeeswarar temple. Revival of these water bodies were found to have raised the ground water table by up to 3.5 meters.
The state has 2,324 temple tanks, including 64 in Chennai and its suburbs. Most of them dry up in summer. HR&CE Board has now prepared a rough estimate to have harvesting structures in these water bodies. A recent inspection by officials found that 34 tanks in the city were in dire need of de-silting. Chief minister J. Jayalalithaa asked them to add rain water harvesting systems to them.
Another issue of concern is the maintenance of these tanks. Most residents in the locality dump garbage into temple tanks not realizing they are a source of water for them. Parking of vehicles and location of shops and urinals around temple tanks should also be banned so that the water flowing in remains unpolluted, he said.