Govt buildings, schools to have rainwater harvesting structures

To promote rainwater harvesting and artificial recharge of groundwater, the UT Administration has decided to install rainwater harvesting structures in all government buildings, schools and anganwadi centres in the city by November 2025.

Under the Indian government’s “Jal Shakti Abhiyan: Catch the Rain 2025” campaign, a meeting was convened by Mandip Singh Brar, Home Secretary-cum-Secretary, Water Resources, UT, to review progress and create an action plan regarding the same.

During the meeting, the current status of groundwater in the city was presented and action plan for its artificial recharge at feasible sites in the city was discussed. It was decided that all government buildings, schools and anganwadi centres in Chandigarh should have rainwater harvesting structures by November 2025. It was also decided that an advisory be issued to autonomous bodies, such as PU and PGI, and governments of Haryana and Punjab and Centre to construct rainwater harvesting systems on the premises of their offices. All existing rainwater harvesting systems shall be geo-tagged.

A cleaning drive for existing rainwater harvesting systems (government and private) was held from March 1 to 7 in this regard. For this, plans to encourage community involvement throughout the campaigns was also discussed.