Gurugram: GMDA to inspect RWH systems in 2000 societies

These directions were issued by DS Dhesi, principal advisor, Haryana government in a meeting held on August 21

With only eight out of the 200 residential societies sharing details of the rainwater harvesting (RWH) structures in their premises, the Gururgam metropolitan development authority’s (GMDA) planning department has been directed to conduct random checking to see whether RWH structures are present in all 2,000 societies located in sectors 1 to 67, said officials on Thursday.

Gurugram: GMDA to inspect RWH systems in 2000 societies

These directions were issued by DS Dhesi, principal advisor, Haryana government in a meeting held on August 21, where senior officials of the authority, planning department, irrigation department and district registrar of cooperatives were present.

A senior official present in the meeting said that with the majority of RWAs not sharing details regarding the RWH systems it was decided to hold random inspections in societies from mid-September so that the situation on the ground can be assessed. During the meeting, Amit Kumar, district registrar, district firms and societies department informed that there were approximately 2,000 societies in Gurugram located in Sector 1 to Sector 67.

A GMDA official said that after a detailed discussion, it was directed that district registrar, firms and societies will share the information regarding addresses of these societies situated in Sector 1 to Sector 67 with district town planner (DTP) GMDA.

“DTP GMDA will coordinate with different agencies and ensure a sample survey to be carried out regarding the RWH pits constructed in these societies regarding the functioning and presence of the systems,” said the official.

RS Bhath, district town planner, GMDA said that as per the directions of the principal advisor, urban development, Haryana government they will conduct random inspections of the housing societies to check the functioning of RWH systems.

“To prevent waterlogging it is important that all RWH systems are made functional and we will ensure it,” he said.

As per the government rules, rain water harvesting is necessary in houses above 100 square yards area.

As per the rules of Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP), water harvesting system is mandatory in houses built over 100 square yards area. Before issuing the possession certificate to the newly constructed house by HSVP, the rain water harvesting system is checked. At the same time, before issuing the possession certificate from the DTP office of the town and country planning department, a report of rain water harvesting installation from HSVP is mandatory.

As per a drainage report submitted by a GMDA consultant in last week of July, almost half of the residential societies in the city do not have a functional rainwater harvesting systems in the condominiums, while almost 85 percent houses in the city also have dysfunctional rainwater harvesting structures

The draft report submitted to the authority said, “Existing recharge wells constructed by individuals in the respective plots, constructed by RWA’s in common areas, constructed in public building and group housing societies need to be made functional with proper storage capacities for minimum 1 hour and desilting chambers. It is assessed that 85% of the recharge pits in individual houses and 50% of the recharge wells in the societies are non-functional.”