Natural Rainwater Harvesting at IGNOU

The Horticultural Cell of IGNOU is digging more than 5000 trenches in its 160 acres campus for Natural Rainwater Harvesting. This will help increase the ground water level not only in IGNOU campus but also in the adjoining areas of Sainik Farms and Neb Sarai. It is expected that during the rainy season, atleast a minimum of 1 million ltrs a day. This will contribute in a big way to increase the groundwater level, which has gone down in the last couple of years.

“I got this idea from the people of a village of Marathwada while seeing a programme on a TV Channel” said Prof. Kapil Kumar, Chairman of the Horticulture Cell at IGNOU. He also mentioned that there are no additional costs involved as the IGNOU’s gardeners are doing the job and it is first initiative of this kind at this level by any educational institutions in the national capital region.

IGNOU already recycles water through its sewage treatment plants for horticulture purposes and also has nine water recharging structures. Many waste materials at IGNOU are recycled to make gates and fences besides being used for landscaping purposes. The acting Vice-Chancellor of IGNOU, Prof. Ravindra Kumar not only approved the idea of natural rainwater harvesting but being an environmentalist himself has accorded all support in this and the effort has got converted into a ‘Natural Rainwater Harvesting Campaign’.

Prof. Kapil Kumar has appealed to other educational institutions to start similar campaigns in their campuses and the resident welfare associations can also play a major role in this regard. He has also appealed that every citizen be a part of water conservation movement by starting natural rainwater harvesting, as even one trench in their lawn or neighbourhood will help in raising the groundwater levels of Delhi. He said that, if anyone wants to understand what is being done is IGNOU, all are welcome to visit the campus