The Hindu 25.03.2011
BWSSB to go all out to popularise RWH
It plans to install the units itself if property owners don’t
S. Suresh Kumar
The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) will go all out to
popularise rainwater harvesting (RWH) in the coming days.
The board plans to install RWH units for those who do
not adopt it before the stipulated deadline and collect the amount
through their monthly water bills.
Announcing this after inaugurating the World Water Day
programme jointly organised by BWSSB and Bangalore Jalamandali
Abhiyantarara Sangha, BWSSB Minister S. Suresh Kumar said the board
would also come out with some incentives for those who adopt the system.
Of the 56,000 identified houses, only 24,000 have installed the units
so far.
Fresh deadline
He said a fresh deadline for RWH installation would be announced shortly.
“Although May 27, 2010 was the deadline announced when
rainwater harvesting was made mandatory last year, the Act was amended
again authorising the board to set a fresh deadline. We are planning a
December 2011 or January 2012 deadline before which owners of existing
buildings should adopt the system. Those who construct new buildings
will not get water and underground drainage connections if they do not
adopt RWH,” the Minister said.
Pointing out that the existing water crisis and the
growing demand for water had made it essential for the board to come out
with drastic measures to conserve water, the Minister said: “We will
also involve school children in the coming days to popularise the
concept.”
Cauvery project
Promising citizens that work on the Cauvery IV Phase 2nd
Stage (that was earlier scheduled to be completed by March 2012) would
be completed by December 2011, the Minister said this would facilitate
an additional supply of 500 million litres of water per day (mld) to the
city.
Additional Chief Secretary Subir Harisingh along with
the Minister and BWSSB chairman P.B. Ramamurthy released a souvenir
brought out by BWSSB to mark the occasion.
This was followed by a technical session wherein papers
on water conservation and the existing water supply scenario were
presented by experts.
