Gurugram societies follow suit, to use treated water to fight smog

As the millennium city grapples with smog, residents instead of adopting the perennial exercise of waiting and blaming the authorities, have taken things into their hands this time. After an experimental rain by sprinklers in a society, around 60 more in Gurugram have decided to use treated sewerage water to conduct rains daily and fight the smog. The societies lie in New Gurugram area near Manesar industrial zone, which is the most polluted.

Taking the lead in the initiative, the Sare Homes Society, Sector 92, with over 1,500 families, has already installed the sprinklers and showering the treated sewerage water and it is making a commendable difference, according to the RWA.

“ We are already using this water to maintain our horticulture area and now are using it for artificial rains to fight the pollution and smog. We live in the most polluted zone of Gurugram and cannot keep waiting for the authorities to conduct water sprinkling or get smog guns. We have made a minimal investment and got sprinklers around the societies and in nearby areas and sprinkle treated water. We are fighting the smog with it, putting treated water to good use and saving on portable water,” said Praveen Malik, president of the society RWA and United Association of New Gurugram.

He further said that currently out of the 80 societies in the area, 60 have workable sewage treatment plant and with success of this model in Sare Homes, all are going for it. “The societies are helping each other with the mechanism, installation and guidance and we are presenting to NCR a model of community participation to fight smog,” added Malik.

DC Ajay Kumar said that the people’s participation was the key in dealing with this annual crisis and the administration would extend all help in such community measures.

Gurugram has been struggling with an average ‘very poor’ air quality. With societies arranging for artificial rain, majority of these claim that they have been able to bring down the AQI in their area to ‘moderate’.

Meanwhile, garbage fires continue to be the biggest challenge in dealing with the air quality in the millennium city. Unchecked burning of garbage is being reported regularly, especially at night, which is keeping both cops and fire authorities on the toes.