Realtors shift onus of water supply on Huda

After a blanket ban on use of groundwater for construction purposes, the national real estate development council (Naredco) on Monday asked the Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) to provide quality water to builders.

After a blanket ban on use of groundwater for construction purposes, the national real estate development council (Naredco) on Monday asked the Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) to provide quality water to builders.

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The decision of the apex realtors' body came after a Huda offer to supply treated sewage water at a nominal charge. Terming the offer illegal since the quality of water is unfit for construction, the council has turned to a provision of the Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Act, 1975, which makes it mandatory for the civic body to supply water to developers.

Realtors say that water supplied by the Gurgaon sewage treatment plant contains five times higher levels of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD i.e. amount of dissolved oxygen) and other corrosive elements such as nitrates, which makes it unfit for construction purposes.

The Haryana government has collected more than Rs. 3,000 crore as EDC from Gurgaon-based realtors whose projects are on full swing in the city. Many developers' have been adversely affected by the July 16 Punjab and Haryana High Court order that banned use of groundwater for construction works. The district administration was directed to seal borewells. "Borewells have been sealed and canal water is not available yet. How can work continue? Shouldn't Huda provide quality water to colonizers? These are some questions the government needs to answer," said RR Singh, director general, Naredco.

Naredco is likely to meet Haryana government to resolve the issue. "Water supply for construction is part of the government services we pay for as external development charges (EDC)," said another realtor.

Meanwhile, to resolve the current stalemate, Huda chief engineer Pankaj Kumra told Hindustan Times that the civic body has just offered treated sewage water supply as a temporary solution.

"November onwards, our NCR channel would be operational and there would be enough raw water supply," he said.