The plan to raise underground water level through constructing wells and draining rainwater into them may prove futile, as experts suggest other important steps rather than wasting money on this project.

The Punjab government has recently approved a pilot project worth over Rs18 million submitted by the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) regarding digging of about 10 wells, five each at various spots of Lakshmi Chowk and outside Qadhafi Stadium -- two major sore points where a large quantity of water is accumulated and drained through massive pumps during rains.

Though the LDA expects the project to be a success, but independent experts say it is unviable for a city of over 10 million people that faces rapid reduction in the underground water level besides contaminated drinking water.

“As far as I know, the project has been approved. And now technical officials concerned are preparing to implement it in association with the Water and Sanitation Agency,” says a senior Wasa official.

Talking about making the project a success, the official said the LDA’s technical experts had collected samples of rainwater in order to assess quantity of impurities, sediments, metals, arsenic and sewerage/wastewater in it. After receiving test reports, it will design an innovative filter that would ensure cleaning of the rainwater and then place it underground to raise the water level. He said there were various precedents in India and some developed countries where the same method had been adopted to purify storm water and then place it into underground water.

“This not only raised the decreasing water level, but also helped the government in early drainage of rainwater. So LDA officials are trying to replicate this model in Lahore,” the official added.

He said before launching and completing the project, the LDA also planned to carry out a survey to gauge quantity of the rainwater accumulating at Lakshmi Chowk and Qadhafi Stadium and capacity of the wells and filter to receive and purify that water and then placing it into the aquifer. He said the LDA and Wasa would not launch the mega project if the pilot failed.

“Such a project could only be successful if the government succeeds in avoiding mixing of sewerage water and rainwater. In India, the government made legislation under which citizens were bound to divert accumulated rainwater on their rooftops, compounds and lawns into small wells they had constructed on their own in their houses,” says Dr Ghulam Abbas Anjum, head of the UET’s City and Regional Planning Department.

He says they first strengthened their sewerage/drainage system and then trapped rainwater into wells without letting it mix with sewerage and other injurious chemicals. So the government should adopt such techniques first and then plan these kinds of projects. He said the pilot activity could be successful at Qadhafi Stadium due to mixing of less sewerage water into rainwater.

“But I am not sure if the filters they are using will end contamination in water,” he added.

While giving his input, Punjab’s Environment Tribunal member and former dean of the UET’s Chemical Department, Dr A.R. Saleemi, said soil itself is a mega and natural filter.

“In developed countries, you can find playgrounds constructed deeper than ground level. The purpose is to divert rainwater into them and keep raising the underground water level. So we must replicate this rather than doing other unnecessary things. He claimed accumulated rainwater in all parts of Lahore was mixed with a lot of sewerage water. And if it is diverted into wells, the filter, no matter how innovative, could not prevent its contamination. However, water treatment plants are the only solution to treat such water and make it contamination-free,” Saleemi added.

The Parks and Horticulture Authority has decided to develop an extended portion of the park at Minar-i-Pakistan and beautify it with plantation and models of historical monuments.

According to plan, a road linking Masti Gate and the railway station from the Ravi Road (in front of Minar-i-Pakistan) has been closed and included into the park to club together the monument, Badshahi Mosque and Lahore Fort. People have been advised to access Masti Gate or railway station through a newly constructed road and flyover at Azadi Chowk. “The PHA has launched the project and gardeners are planting various ornamental and indigenous plants. Hope this activity will end by end of September,” says a PHA official. He said similarly the authority also planned to make Jallo a theme park.

Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2014