The Hindu 04.05.2013
Corporation to make rain water harvesting mandatory for new buildings
Technical advice for residents to restore RWH structures.
With borewells drying up fast in residential areas due
to dwindling groundwater table, the Vellore Corporation plans to invoke a
2003government order making Rain Water Harvesting structures (RWH)
mandatory for new buildings, both residential and commercial.
In
the last two months, the sound of drilling could be heard across many
localities in the city limits such as Thorapadi, Allapuram, Vellore
proper, Katpadi, Kazhinjur and Sathuvachari as the borewells dried up
all of a sudden.
Residents in Allapuram complained
that it took repeated drilling to find water source in the locality. At
this point of time, the groundwater table was at around 300 to 400 feet
below. Frustrated with the failure of the borewells in their houses,
most residents have resorted to buying canned water at rates ranging
from Rs. 150 to Rs. 200 per 1000 litres.
Though the
construction of RWH structures were made mandatory by the State
Government in 2003 during the previous All India Anna Dravida Munnetra
Kazhagam regime, the subsequent governments failed to implement the
micro-level scheme that was found to improve groundwater table,
especially in urban areas.
The RWH structures that
were constructed in the houses and in the buildings of the local bodies
have silted up over the years and are no longer serving the purpose.
Under these circumstances, the Vellore Corporation has now decided to
make RWH mandatory for new buildings and create awareness among the
residents of the need to clean up the silted structures and make them
functional.
“On completion of the buildings, we have
asked the town planning inspectors to verify whether the site owners
have constructed RWH structures. We collect a deposit of Rs. 1500 from
each site owner who is constructing a house for the purpose of putting
up RWH structures. We will refund the amount if the structures are
built,” said Janaki, Commissioner of Vellore Corporation.
She
said that all the councillors have been asked to ensure 100 per cent
implementation of RWH on a pilot basis. Pamphlets explaining the
importance of RWH and the methods of constructing the structures would
also be issued to the residents and owners of commercial buildings, she
said.
When asked about the silting up of many RWH
structures in the buildings of the Vellore Corporation in different
parts of the city, Ms. Janaki said that steps were being taken to
restore the structures.
Technical advice would be given to the residents who wanted to restore the RWH structures in their houses, she said.
The move is to facilitate recharge of groundwater in the ensuing monsoons to end the acute water scarcity.