BWSSB Bangalore will Disconnect Water from Houses without RWH
Water supply is the right of every citizen and disconnection as a penalty is not the solution. Though residents feel installing rainwater harvesting is important, the government shouldn’t disconnect water and sanitary lines.The government should install RWH structures in their buildings and stormwater drains.
The BWSSB has empowered itself to take stern action against owners of those houses where rainwater harvesting (RWH) apparatus is not installed. Having issued a deadline of December 31, 2011, for installation, and published a gazette notification on July 7, BWSSB can now cut off water and sanitary connections to houses without RWH.
BWSSB chairman PB Ramamurthy called on citizens to install rainwater harvesting by December 31. A senior BWSSB official said if they fail to adhere to the deadline, the water board can disconnect water and sanitary connections.
Through the notification, the regulations titled Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage (Rain Water Harvesting) (Amendment) Regulations, 2011 have come into force. The amendment states that where the owner or occupier of a building fails to provide RWH within the deadline, modified under section 72A of the Act, water supply could be disconnected.
There is a saving clause, though – ‘No disconnection shall be made as above unless an opportunity of being heard is given to the affected persons’. So far, nearly 31,000 buildings have installed RWH apparatus in the city, though the number of people doing so has come down. A senior BWSSB official said 5 to 10 people are installing RWH every month.
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