CSR-funded initiative begins with 20 pits in five parks; 2,000 more planned across Mysuru city

Mysuru: With groundwater levels falling during summer, the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) has planned to construct rainwater percolation pits (Ingu Gundi in Kannada) in city parks to help recharge groundwater.

For several years, borewells in several parks have been running dry during the summer months, making it difficult for staff to water trees and plants.

To address the problem, the MCC consulted experts and decided to construct percolation pits with the support of organisations willing to fund the works through their CSR initiatives. Mysuru has around 750 parks, most of which face water scarcity during summer. Plants and trees often wither due to inadequate irrigation, leading to criticism over poor maintenance.

MCC now hopes to strengthen water sources in parks by encouraging institutions and companies to utilise their CSR funds for constructing percolation pits. Responding to the MCC’s appeal, Vidyaniketan Institution, Bengaluru-based Vibhinna India Foundation and Mitsubishi have come forward to fund the construction of the pits under their CSR initiatives.

Five parks have been selected for the first phase, with four pits to be constructed in each park, taking the total to 20.

Under Vidyaniketan’s CSR initiative, the pits will be constructed at Cheluvamba Park, Manuvana Park, Madhuvana Park, Vijayanagar First Stage Park and Shaktinagar Park. The institution has also agreed to maintain the pits for one year.

Technical details

Each pit will be 5 ft. wide and 7 ft. deep. According to the MCC, a single pit can facilitate the percolation of around 1.28 lakh litres of rainwater annually. The 20 pits together are expected to recharge around 25.6 lakh litres of rainwater into the ground, helping replenish groundwater levels.

The Vivid India Foundation has also promised to construct 2,000 such pits across Mysuru in the coming days. MCC officials said the pits could potentially help recharge around 2,560 lakh litres of water.

The initiative was formally launched at Vijayanagar First Stage Park, where MCC Commissioner M.K. Savitha performed the groundbreaking ceremony. Assistant Executive Engineer P.K. Mohan, officials from the horticulture division and representatives of Vidyaniketan and Mitsubishi were present.

In the first phase, Vidyaniketan Institution and Mitsubishi Company have come forward under their CSR initiatives to construct 20 percolation pits (Ingu Gundi) in five parks. The pits will be constructed near existing borewells to facilitate groundwater recharge. The MCC has also directed that fencing be provided around the pits to prevent damage. The initiative, which has begun with five parks, would be extended to other parks across the city in the coming days.

—M.K. Savitha, Commissioner, MCC