Rooftop rainwater harvesting campaign in Latur to help mitigate effects of rising mercury

Latur, Apr 3 (PTI) With the rising temperatures becoming a serious concern, Maharashtra's Latur district has decided to carry out a campaign to promote rooftop rainwater harvesting not just in government buildings but also private establishments.
    The 'Amritdhara Abhiyan' would be held over the next two months through community participation and the focus will be on maximising rainwater percolation into the ground during the upcoming monsoon in the district, Collector Varsha Thakur-Ghuge said on Wednesday.
    She was speaking at 'Fight Against Heat' workshop organised by the District Disaster Management Authority to brainstorm solutions for climate resilience.
    At the event, experts highlighted how climate change was intensifying heatwaves, impacting not just geography but also the economy. Studies suggest that nearly 40 per cent of the economy was affected by climate-related disruptions, the collector said.

    The rising temperatures also have severe consequences on public health, with millions of people across the world suffering due to heat-related illnesses, she said.
    The collector announced the launch of the 'Amritdhara Abhiyan' as a first step towards large-scale implementation of roof water harvesting, ensuring groundwater replenishment.
    She stressed on immediate and long-term environmental initiatives to transform Latur into 'Green Latur' by 2032', marking the district's 50th anniversary.

    The collector appealed to government staffers, private establishments and residents to install roof water harvesting systems at their homes and workplaces.
    Additionally, emphasis will be placed on well recharge programmes, large-scale tree plantations and green infrastructure development, she said.

    Environmentalist Atul Deulgaonkar said Latur has already suffered from climate change affects and further increase in temperature could lead to severe crises like water scarcity and heat strokes.
    Rapid urbanisation and concretisation are aggravating heat conditions. The future constructions should prioritise heat-absorbing materials, urban tree cover and green spaces to mitigate the rising temperatures, he said.

    Rajneesh Sareen, from the Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi, addressing the event via video conference said people must become warriors for environmental protection and lead the conservation efforts.
    He stressed the urgent need for a 'Cooling Master Plan' in urban areas to regulate temperatures through green corridors, parks and increased tree plantation.

    Architect Avinash Haval from Pune, who also virtually addressed the workshop, claimed this year's heatwave is expected to last longer due to climate change.
    He called for immediate measures such as tree plantations around existing buildings, terrace gardens, solar energy adoption, biogas use, and roof water harvesting, as well as long-term steps like implementation of green building concepts in new constructions and strategic development of urban green belts.

    Public health expert Dr Anant Phadke, addressing the audience via video conference, stressed the need for mass public awareness campaigns to educate the people on protecting themselves from extreme heat.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)