MCG makes rainwater harvesting compulsory for all residential establishments in city

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), on Saturday, announced that it will mandatory for all residential buildings, group housing societies, schools, hotels

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), on Saturday, announced that it will mandatory for all residential buildings, group housing societies, schools, hotels and industrial establishments falling within the limits of the civic body to install rainwater harvesting systems at their respective buildings before June 15.

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“In order to preserve and protect groundwater from further depletion in Gurugram and its adjoining areas, it is necessary to ensure proper functioning of rainwater harvesting structures (RWHS) before the onset of the monsoon season. Hence, I have issued directions in this regard with immediate effect,” said Vinay Pratap Singh, commissioner, MCG.

Singh cited several provisions of the Haryana Building Code, 2017, which mandates such a direction.

As per clause 8.1(1) of the Haryana Building Code, rainwater harvesting system must be installed by the plot owner, constructing the building on the plot where the area of the rooftop is 100 square metres or more.

Similarly, as per clause 8.1(2) of Haryana Building Code, recharging of groundwater shall be mandatory not only for residential buildings but for all types of buildings, including group housing societies having a plot area more than 500 square metres and above.

“As the matter is very urgent and time-bound, non-compliance will be viewed seriously and action will be taken for non-compliance as per the provisions of law,” said Singh.

The latest direction by MCG comes less than two weeks after the civic body issued directions to all its nine executive engineers to visit all rainwater harvesting pits in their respective areas and subsequently submit an estimate for cleaning and de-silting such structures on May 12.

There are around 700 rainwater harvesting pits spread across the city, said MCG officials.

As per an MCG release in August 2018, the city receives around 600-700 mm of rainfall every year, thereby making rainwater harvesting a necessary provision for recharging the groundwater table of the region.