Rainwater harvesting works wonders for Sukhna Lake

Chandigarh: With over 190 water bodies and an equal number of silt detention dams in the Sukhna wildlife sanctuary, Chandigarh has been running one of the biggest soil conservation and rainwater harvesting projects for two decades. And the benefits have been made crystal clear in a new study.

Men walk on the banks of Sukhna Lake enveloped in thick fog in Chandigarh

The study conducted by a city-based NGO, Society for Promotion and Conservation of Environment SPACE), has found a sizeable decline in the flow of silt into the Sukhna lake after the construction of these dams.
"This is an exemplary model not only in India but in the whole Asia continent as nowhere will you find this density of water bodies," Santosh Kumar, Chandigarh's chief wildlife warden and conservator of forests, told IANS.
The water bodies are filled by rainwater and they feed the Sukhna lake, a prominent tourist destination here, round the year. The dams retain the silt and prevent it from entering the lake.
Besides, they provide ample water to the animals residing in the sanctuary and attract hundreds of migratory birds every year.
"These dams and water bodies are cleaned once every three to seven years, depending on their size and requirement."