Hyderabad: Citizens acquiring a house or building one have to first construct a rain water harvesting (RWH) pit in their plots and then apply for permission to build one. Cantonment authorities, who failed to get builders in tow and construct RWH pits as shown in their building plans at the time of approval, have decided to make it mandatory for people to first build the pit.

This rule will apply to buildings that are constructed henceforth. The cantonment officials will inspect the plot after the plot owner or developer submits the building plan and approve it only if the plot had an RWH pit that was operational.

The SCB took the decision at a meeting on Wednesday chaired by its president Brigadier Sunil Bodhe. The SCB took serious note of officials who failed to give a clear reply on the work they had done to inspect existing buildings nor listing the RWH pits that were functional.

The brigadier had directed the officials to launch a door-to-door campaign to verify and list those owners and builders who had constructed RWH pits as shown in the building plan they had submitted to the SCB.

Brig. Bodhe warned that he would place the officials under suspension if it was found that they had not implemented the directions given by the Board at its earlier meeting. “I will make surprise inspections,” he said.

The Board also approved the octroi and toll tax contract and decided to constitute a committee to review and revise property tax rates to be levied on commercial and residential buildings in the Cantonment limits.