Rainwater harvesting made mandatory

 East Delhi Municipal Corporation has decided to make the establishment of rainwater harvesting unit a prerequisite to get a building plan approved.

The present rules require only big plots measuring 100 square yards or above to have water conservation facility. The civic body has now decided to make it binding on all households of 32 square yards or above to have the provision of rainwater harvesting on their rooftops.

The corporation’s standing committee has passed the proposal. It will be passed by the House along with the budgetary proposals for the financial year 2013-14. This is the first time any civic body has put in place the blanket rule of rainwater harvesting for all households.

Officers said the initial focus will be on houses which will be constructed in future and old existing houses will be taken up subsequently.

“The existing rule does not apply to a majority of the houses as they measure less than 100 square yards. It will now be a requirement for all houses of 32 square yards or above to have the water conservation system in place,” said Mehak Singh, chairman of the standing committee.

Officials said apart from the residential units, other structures like schools, government buildings and offices will also be brought under the net.

They said the initiative will be duly advertised and a deadline will be fixed for all the buildings to provide for water harvesting.