<p>Due to the poor response from Delhiites on rainwater harvesting, the city government is likely to extend the deadline for the third time for its compulsory implementation.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The deadline for installing rainwater harvesting structures is now likely to be extended up to September.<br /><br />The government had in July last year issued notices to owners of property with an area of 500 square metres or more, warning them of penalties if the provisions for rainwater harvesting were not in place within one month. But the deadline was extended after some time.<br /><br />As not many came forward to adopt the scheme, the government in March extended it again till June 30, 2016. After that, property owners who didn’t comply could face an increase in water tariff rate by 1.5 times.<br /><br />However, the initiative has not picked up even now and another extension is likely to be announced soon, a government official said.<br /><br />After the water crisis in February due to the Jat agitation in Haryana, Delhi’s Water Minister Kapil Mishra had stressed on the need for rainwater harvesting as an alternative to deal with city’s water shortages. According to the regulation, all existing buildings which are constructed on a plot of 500 sq metre or more or new buildings that come up in planned areas on plots of 100 sq metre or more are required to have rooftop rainwater harvesting structures (RWH).<br /><br />Delhi Jal Board (DJB) officials say that a new model for rainwater harvesting has not been publicised well and that is the reason for the poor response.<br /><br />Chennai model<br /><br />The DJB recently changed its previous model and took up the Chennai model, under which the rainwater harves-ting structures don’t require boring all the way down to the aquifer.<br /><br />Instead, they capture rainwater and transfer it to a recharge pit where it passes through filters like gravel and sand before entering the storage tank.<br /><br />“There is a huge change in the design and till people understand it, we need to give them time,” said a DJB official, adding that those who have installed the old structures are not required to adopt the new ones. The government will also unroll an advertisement campaign next week to promote rainwater harvesting and improve the compliance level.</p>
<p>Due to the poor response from Delhiites on rainwater harvesting, the city government is likely to extend the deadline for the third time for its compulsory implementation.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The deadline for installing rainwater harvesting structures is now likely to be extended up to September.<br /><br />The government had in July last year issued notices to owners of property with an area of 500 square metres or more, warning them of penalties if the provisions for rainwater harvesting were not in place within one month. But the deadline was extended after some time.<br /><br />As not many came forward to adopt the scheme, the government in March extended it again till June 30, 2016. After that, property owners who didn’t comply could face an increase in water tariff rate by 1.5 times.<br /><br />However, the initiative has not picked up even now and another extension is likely to be announced soon, a government official said.<br /><br />After the water crisis in February due to the Jat agitation in Haryana, Delhi’s Water Minister Kapil Mishra had stressed on the need for rainwater harvesting as an alternative to deal with city’s water shortages. According to the regulation, all existing buildings which are constructed on a plot of 500 sq metre or more or new buildings that come up in planned areas on plots of 100 sq metre or more are required to have rooftop rainwater harvesting structures (RWH).<br /><br />Delhi Jal Board (DJB) officials say that a new model for rainwater harvesting has not been publicised well and that is the reason for the poor response.<br /><br />Chennai model<br /><br />The DJB recently changed its previous model and took up the Chennai model, under which the rainwater harves-ting structures don’t require boring all the way down to the aquifer.<br /><br />Instead, they capture rainwater and transfer it to a recharge pit where it passes through filters like gravel and sand before entering the storage tank.<br /><br />“There is a huge change in the design and till people understand it, we need to give them time,” said a DJB official, adding that those who have installed the old structures are not required to adopt the new ones. The government will also unroll an advertisement campaign next week to promote rainwater harvesting and improve the compliance level.</p>
