Implement rainwater harvesting or face punitive action
July 30 Deadline to Install RWH
Concerned over the depleting groundwater table, BBMP commissioner Siddaiah has appealed to property owners who own more than an acre of prime space in the city to establish rainwater harvesting (RWH) pits before July 30. On June 10, Siddaiah had written to government of India and government of Karnataka institutions, public sector units like education and research institutions that total up to 600. In his letter, Siddaiah has said that in one acre of land if rain water harvesting is done in a scientific manner, it is easily possible to harness about 40 lakh litres of water per year.
However, the letter has not been sent to any private developer or company as this has now been made a pre-requisite condition while obtaining building plan approval. It is estimated that there are 20,000 one acre properties in the city.
Siddaiah has said the storm water drains designed about 30 years ago had become inadequate in their carrying capacity due to several encroachments and other urbanization activities like housing layouts. “In this context, RWH would be the only solution. This offers long term benefits to the city by enhancing groundwater table thereby rejuvenating the open wells and borewells, besides reducing the incidence of flooding,” he has said in the letter.
“A year ago, BWSSB had sent this message to institutions but there had been not much response. Installing rain water harvesting system on the campuses was one of the UGC guidelines. We at IISc are ready to extend technical knowhow if the institutions approach us,” said A R Shivakumar, executive secretary of KSCST, IISc.
BBMP Commissioner sets July 30 deadline in his letter. The letters will be dispatched to the institutions in a day or two through zonal chief engineers of eight zones. BBMP is also taking up the RWH works in all its properties like parks, playgrounds, burial grounds and on the roadside. East zone has the maximum number of properties measuring more than an acre of land with over 355 institutions with open spaces.
Bangalore rainwater harvesting, Deadline for rainwater harvesting system, Installing rain water harvesting system, obtaining building plan approval, Rainwater Harvesting, Rainwater harvesting Bangalore
