The Hindu 25.03.2011
Corporation buildings to harvest rainwater
The Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation will install rainwater harvesting units in all its buildings and offices.
Corporation Commissioner K.V. Trilok Chandra told
presspersons here on Thursday that the corporation would take an
initiative to set up rainwater harvesting units in its buildings before
making it mandatory for other buildings and houses in the twin cities.
He said rainwater harvesting units would be set up in
all the 25 buildings belonging to the corporation, including its
offices, hospitals and schools. “We plan to have rooftop rainwater
harvesting units installed on these buildings within a week or 10 days,”
he said.
He said the corporation would then take steps to extend
this facility to other government buildings, working in coordination
with various departments to get adequate funds for the purpose.
He said that though there was a clause in the building
bylaws of the corporation making rainwater harvesting system mandatory
for new buildings, it was not being strictly enforced.
“We are aware of the fact that the mandatory clause has
just been restricted to the seal to be put on the building permission
given by the corporation. I have directed officials to take steps to
strictly implement the clause,” he said.
Mr. Trilok Chandra said officials had been directed to
issue completion certificates to buildings (both commercial and
residential) only after spot inspection and after confirming that
rainwater harvesting units had been installed.
“Subsequently, we will take up the issue of other
buildings. We may need to bring the issue before the corporation council
and make suitable amendments,” he said.
