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.