Daijiworld Media Network- Panaji
Panaji, Sep 10: While individual homeowners continue to remain hesitant in availing the Water Resources Department’s (WRD) rainwater harvesting subsidy scheme, educational institutes across Goa have been quick to adopt the initiative.
The scheme, first introduced in 2008 and revised in 2022 with the benefit amount nearly doubled, has seen schools and colleges making a beeline to set up rooftop rainwater harvesting systems.
One of the early adopters was Dnyanprassarak Mandal’s College (DMC) and Research Centre, Assagao, which once struggled for water due to its plateau location. With the scheme, the institute not only overcame its drinking water woes but also transformed 30 acres of campus into lush greenery.
“For years, we received water supply once in two days and had to depend on expensive tankers despite having a borewell. With rainwater harvesting, we recharge our groundwater and now have surplus water to nurture plants and keep our campus green,” said Principal D B Arolkar.
Over the past two years, 18 schools, many of them government primary schools, have implemented rainwater harvesting through the WRD, while seven more are in the process of setting up systems, confirmed WRD official Milind Gaude.
As per the revised scheme, schools can claim up to 50% of project cost or Rs 5 lakh (whichever is lower). Residential complexes too are eligible for similar benefits, while individual homeowners can claim up to Rs 1 lakh. Yet, not a single homeowner has come forward so far.
“We conduct inspections, take necessary approvals, and then install the rooftop harvesting system with storage tanks, linking it for specific uses. Most schools utilise the water for flushing, gardening, or recharging borewells,” explained Gaude.
The WRD now aims to cover all government schools first, followed by aided institutions across Goa.
Some of the institutes already benefitting from the scheme include Govt Primary School, Sao Pedro-Ribandar; G S Amonkar Vidya Mandir, Mapusa; Chubby Cheeks Spring Valley High School, Pilerne-Marra; Pradnya High School, Korgao-Pernem; and Govt Primary School, Sula Bhat-Agasaim.