The arrival of monsoons means regular stagnation of rain water in residential areas for several cities in India. Even a small shower leads to water logging in big cities like Mumbai. It disrupts the routines of people. The rainy season, which is traditionally supposed to bring a lot of joy and merriment to common people, becomes a source of apprehension and anxiety to many people. This is because our civil engineers or city planners have overlooked the necessity of keeping the path of normal flow of water clear.
A popular Rajasthani proverb says that fire, water, snakes and rulers seldom compromise with their tendencies. Water tends to flow towards a lower plane. Our ancestors knew this and were prepared. They tackled flooding with two strategies. Either the surface run-off was stored in artificial water bodies for future use or the path of flow of water was kept unobstructed.
Take the case of Kota city of Rajasthan. Kota is widely known for the fabulous success of its coaching institutes in entrance examinations to top-ranking engineering and medical institutes of the country. Geographically, Kota is situated on the lowest part of the plateau of Hadouti. Whenever it rained on the upper part of the plateau, run-off would flow down, in accordance with gravity. Every now and then, this flow caused a flood-like situation in the lower region. Prince Dheerdeo of Bundi studied the problem and constructed 13 big tanks at different levels of the plateau.
Kota was then a part of the princely state of Bundi. These tanks were constructed in the path of the flow of rain water. They not only held the force of water running towards lower part but also played a vital role in increasing the underground water level of the area. One of the most important use of these tanks was it they became a prime source of water for common folk.
But when the lust for the land increased, most of these tanks were either encroached or inundated for different constructions on the name of development. If the land of one pond was used for the construction of suburban railway station, another pond was filled with filth to construct a bazaar. Land of pond was encroached to develop an illegal colony by land mafia. By the time, these tanks were ruined the density of population in Kota city was encroached by several folds. Every now and then, flood like situation started arising in different colonies due to sudden influx of water. Technically, flood is the situation when water level increases in rivers and that enters into nearby residential areas. But the ‘type of flood’ which cities like Kota were facing was not because of rise in water level, but it was due to flow of rainy water on its natural path. Then a diversion channel was built to carry the rainy water directly into river Chambal.
Example of Mumbai also narrates the same tale. Few cities boast of natural diversity as rich as Mumbai. City has five rivers or rivulets - Dahisar, Poisar, Oshiwara and Meethi. Instead of channels for excess rainwater, they are now stinking, garbage-lined, slime filled sewers. Generations of Mumbaikars don't even know them as rivers; all they see is smelly 'nullahs' that flood in the monsoon. The natural path of flow of these rivers is overpowered by the residential or commercial buildings and this is the reason that even a little extra influx of water in these areas creates flood like situation in several parts of Mumbai. A few years ago, Chennai also faced a flood due to the same reason.
One can find the similar situation at every part of the country. We used to offer our reverence to rivers and rivulets by giving them epithet of Mother. But never hesitate in throwing dirt and filth in river water. Our ancestors were wise enough to understand the importance of water bodies in a residential area and to realize the necessity of leaving the path of natural water flow free from all encroachments. Ironically, to stay in the blind race of modern development, our city planners overlooked it and this carelessness converted the joy of monsoon merriment into a curse for most of cities. Will our policy makers pay a little attention towards it?
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