Singareni plans to develop 50 mini-tanks to improve groundwater table

SCCL to construct 50 mini tanks to improve groundwater table, provide pure drinking water, and enhance environmental sustainability.

HYDERABAD

As part of its water conservation efforts and to develop the groundwater table, the management of Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL) has decided to construct 50 mini tanks/ponds and develop them across the coal mines area by making use of the opencast mines’ sumps as water bodies, particularly in between the overburden dump mounds.

According to Chairman and Managing Director of the coal company N. Balaram, they are planning to take up development of mini tanks under the ‘Singareni Neeti Binduvu — Jala Sindhuvu’ programme. He stated that the effort was also aimed at providing pure drinking water to the people in Singareni areas even during summer seasons.

As part of the programme they were also planning to improve the water storage of existing tanks and ponds within a two-km purview of existing mining areas. Mr. Balaram said the measures would also help improve the green cover, bird and wild animal population, including aquatic creatures.

The CMD stated that Singareni had been following environment-friendly mining practices and also improving green cover by planting a large number of saplings every year. Now they were planning to improve the groundwater table as part of its social responsibility. Mr. Balaram held a meeting with all Area General Managers on Monday to develop 50 mini-tanks.

Along with development of mini-tanks the Singareni would also improve water storage in the disbanded opencast mine pits, to fill the areas between overburden dump mounds with rainwater or the water being pumped out from the opencast mines under operation. Some necessary civil works would also be taken up to store more water in the opencast pits and to channelise flow of excess water downstream.

The water stored in all such water bodies would also be tested for quality frequently so that it could be used for domestic and drinking needs. Directors of the company D. Satyanarayana Rao, L.V. Suryanarayana and K. Venkateshwarlu and Executive Director Sd.M. Subhani, Advisor Mohan Pargaien attended.