The 200-year-old well at Haldarwalo Khancho, Khadia is all set to be refilled with the newly-planned rain water harvesting system, thanks to the collective efforts of local residents and Mahila Housing Trust. The decision comes ahead World Heritage Day. The well has been sitting dry since past 50 years.
Gunvant Mistry’s (82) happiness knows no bounds. “I remember my mother and aunties were used to fetch water from this well. I was playing here when I was a child. This was the most interestingly place in my childhood. People from the Pol used to gather here,” he said. “It went dry few years ago. At that time people tried to recharge it, by removing sand and mud from bottom, but nothing worked so far.”
“We took permission from the civic body for the revival of the well. After their green signal, it took six months for us to connect roof tops for rainwater to connect with the well,” said Bharti Bhonsale, programme manager at Mahila Housing Trust.
Bhonsale explained simple mechanism that will recharge the well. “Around 6,000 square meters roof top area has been connected with the well. There are two pipelines, one is for the waste water which will be kept open during the first rain only, to clean the terrace. The second pipe is connected with a filter tank which will bring water till the well,” explained Bhonsale.
Total expense for the pipe installation was around Rs 7 lakh, which was borne by the trust. “The trust has helped us. They informed us to recharge the well for the future. We are aware about the water scarcity, so this is a preventive step,” said Dharmendra Bhatt, one of the residents.
Lauding the residents’ efforts, former assistant director of state archaeological survey said, “They should be honoured. They are the torchbearers to revive heritage wells. Such revival will help the city on a long run.”
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